Assessment of imputability in a case of murder with dissociation - 15/06/25

Doi : 10.1016/j.ejtd.2025.100553

Pedro V. Mateo-Fernández ^a,^b,^c, Iria Osa-Subtil ^c,^d, Isabella E. Senno ^e, Nelson Andrade-González ^a,^f,^⁎ , Lydia Brea-Montilla ^g, María Cruz-Fortún ^a,^b
^a Mental Health Research Group (MHeRG), Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Alfonso X el Sabio University, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain
^b Department of Psychology, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
^c Department of Personality, Assessment and Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
^d Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Sports. Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
^e Instituto Franklin, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
^f Psychiatry and Mental Health Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
^g Forensic Psychology Expert in the Private Sector, Madrid, Spain

^±Corresponding author at: Mental Health Research Group (MHeRG), Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Alfonso X el Sabio University, Av. de la Universidad, 1, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, 28691, Spain.Mental Health Research Group (MHeRG), Faculty of MedicineAlfonso X el Sabio UniversityAv. de la Universidad, 1, Villanueva de la CañadaMadrid28691Spain

Abstract

Introduction

Imputability in criminal cases is a main element with regard to possible variations in sentencing with the application of mitigating or exonerating factors, due to the impairment of the cognitive and/or volitional capacities of the accused during the commission of the crime. A psychopathological disorder that affects the cognition and volition of the individual is dissociation. This paper presents the evaluation process of a murder case with dissociative components at the time of the crime.

Method

The documentation provided by the legal representative of the accused was analyzed, in addition to the performance of a psychological evaluation process through interviews in an exclusively forensic context and complementary evaluation tests.

Results

The results of each of the tests applied are described, as well as a functional analysis and a forensic formulation model.

Conclusion

A lack of social skills and coping strategies, perceived threats within the conflict-filled relationship with the victim, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), provoked fear and anger in the examinee. These states annulled his cognitive and volitional capacities due to the dissociative symptomatology associated with derealization, depersonalization, and dissociative amnesia. This symptomatology partially overrode the cognitive and volitional capacities of the examinee and triggered the fatal outcome. However, future research is needed to further investigate the causal relationship between these disorders and the commission of violent crimes such as homicide.

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Keywords : Murder, Dissociation, Depersonalization, Derealization, Psychological expert report, Forensic psychologist