Intrusive thoughts – unwelcome or distress thoughts or memories, often associated with traumatic events
Criminally insane – no longer used, refers to someone that has likely been found Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity
Not Guilty By Reasons of Insanity (NGRI) – legal defense indicating that, at the time an offense was committed, the individual had mental health symptoms that interfered with their ability to determine right for wrong. Once determined NGRI, the individual is evaluated to be placed in the least restrictive therapeutic environment (e.g., psychiatric hospital)
Violence risk assessments – forensic assessment used to attempt to predict the likelihood that an individual will commit a violent act in the future
Static risk factors – historical factors that are never going to change (e.g., history of violence, the severity of the crime)
Dynamic risk factors – risk factors that can be changed (e.g., taking medications, participating in treatment, level of insight, substance use)
Collateral information – part of the psychiatric or forensic interview where information on the patient is collected from multiple sources (e.g., medical records, close contacts)
Psychotic symptoms – a cluster of psychiatric symptoms that may include hallucinations, delusions, agitation, and speaking incoherently
Delusion – a fixed belief that doesn’t change even when presented with conflicting evidence
Persecutory delusions – a specific set of delusions that involve believing that others are planning to hurt them, despite a lack of evidence
Paranoia – a psychological phenomenon involving feelings of persecution and unwarranted mistrust
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – a common type of therapy focused on challenging unhelpful thoughts and improving coping skills, can be used to treat posttraumatic stress disorder
Prolonged exposure – a type of CBT where individuals gradually approach trauma-related memories and reminders to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder