ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 9

Misdentified Political Figures: An Underappreciated Danger
Leong, GB
Assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and assistant professor of psychiatry, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, CA

Silva, JA
Assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and assistant professor of psychiatry, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, CA

Ferrari, MM
Fellow in child psychiatry, University of Southern California School of Medicine, CA

Weinstock, R
Associate clinical professor of psychiatry, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, CA

(Received 6 August 1990; accepted 16 October 1990)

Abstract

A series of twelve patients is presented in which each patient suffered from one or more misidentification syndromes and also misidentified one or more political figures. The fact that misidentification syndromes have been associated with physical violence and that the majority of the patients studied had a history of physical violence suggests that these individuals could pose a significant danger of physical harm to others, including political figures. Persons who threaten political figures should be evaluated for misidentification syndromes.

Keywords:
psychiatry, misidentification syndromes, political figures, violence

Paper ID: JFS13132J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13132J
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