Gender-specific aspects of female forensic psychiatric evaluation

• Main Author: Ribeiro, Hewdy Lobo
• Publication Date: 2014
• Other Authors: Renno Junior, Joel, Demarque, Renata, Cavalsan , Juliana Pires, Rocha, Renan, Cantilino, Amaury, Ribeiro , Jerônimo de Almeida Mendes, Valadares, Gislene, Silva, Antônio Geraldo da
• Format: Article
• Language: por
• Source: Debates em Psiquiatria (Online)
• DOI: 10.25118/2763-9037.2014.v4.255
• Download full: https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/255
• topic: Psiquiatria forense; gênero; avaliação psiquiátrica; Forensic psychiatry; gender; psychiatric evaluation

Forensic psychiatry is the medical specialty that brings together psychiatry and law. With regard to gender-related issues, some topics have been the subject of attention in the academic literature of forensic psychiatry, e.g.: the Maria da Penha law, used mainly to assess psychiatric damage resulting from psychological violence; infanticide, characterized by the puerperal state of the mother; filicide, which may or may not be a result of maternal mental illness; and perinatal mental disorders, especially postpartum dysphoria, perinatal major depression, and postpartum psychosis. Mental health professionals should be alert to the presence of a causal relationship between mental disorders and the mother’s action or omission, as well as her understanding and selfdetermination skills while facing the event.