Der Einfluss von Profession und Erfahrung hinsichtlich der kriteriengeleiteten Beurteilung der Schuldfähigkeit bei paraphilen Störungen – eine randomisierte kontrollierte Studie

OBJECTIVE This study examines whether occupation and level of experience have an impact on criteria-based assessment of criminal responsibility in paraphilic disorders. METHODS Two different sets of criteria were tested for predictive validity by three different professional groups (psychologists, psychiatrists and lawyers), each with different levels of prior experience. For this purpose, 349 raters evaluated the criteria of one of two criteria catalogs on the basis of one of two exemplary case vignettes. Group assignment was randomized. RESULTS The variables degree of experience and professional affiliation did not show a connection with the prediction performance regarding the estimation of the severity of the disorder and the diminished capacity, respectively, with respect to either of the two sets of criteria. CONCLUSION Using a criteria based approach, the methodology used in the present study (presentation of short case vignettes) did not reveal any significant influence of professional group and experience on the assessment in questions of criminal responsibility related to paraphilic disorders. The use of criteria catalogs may be able to contribute substantially to predictive performance relatively independent of relevant prior experience in the area of the assessment of criminal responsibility, but should not be considered the sole source of assessment.