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Psychology and Law
2025. Vol. 15, no. 4, 81–103
doi:10.17759/psylaw.2025150405
ISSN: 2222-5196 (online)

Early maladaptive schemas, schema modes and violence risk in persons found not guilty by reason of insanity: gender differences

 
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Abstract

Context and relevance. In Russia, violence-risk assessments for individuals found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) rely predominantly on psychopathological indicators. Psychological factors remain insufficiently explored, which undermines the validity of decisions on compulsory treatment. Comparative studies of men and women in this context are scarce, highlighting the need for empirical data. Objective. To identify gender differences in the severity of early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and the activation frequency of schema modes (SM), and to examine their associations with violence risk. Hypotheses. 1) NGRI men and women differ in EMS severity and SM activation frequency; 2) the pattern of associations between EMS, SM, and violence risk differs by gender. Methods. Cross-sectional study involving 211 forensic psychiatric in-patients receiving compulsory treatment at three hospitals in Saint Petersburg (171 men, 40 women). Instruments included the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3R), the Schema Mode Inventory (SMI), and the Historical Clinical Risk Management Scales-20, Version 2 (HCR-20.V2). Results. In men, violence risk was mainly associated with historical factors; in women, it was linked to clinical symptoms and risk management (based on HCR-20 scale scores). Women exhibited greater severity in 9 EMS and higher overall EMS scores, with the largest difference found in the Self-Sacrifice schema. Among men, violence risk showed positive correlations with 11 EMS and the Punitive Critic mode, and a negative correlation with the functional Happy Child mode. No significant EMS or SM correlations with violence risk were found in women. Conclusions. Psychological drivers of violence risk in NGRI men and women differ: EMS and SM are relevant in men, while clinical and situational factors appear more significant in women. Gender-specific approaches to violence risk assessment are recommended.

General Information

Keywords: early maladaptive schemas, schema modes, insanity defence, forensic psychiatry, risk of violence, gender differences, compulsory psychiatric treatment

Journal rubric: Methodological Problems of Legal Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2025150405

Funding. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project number 23-78-01263, https://rscf.ru/project/23-78-01263/

Received 09.05.2025

Revised 20.11.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Surgutskiy, E.D., Vartanyan, G.A., Khanko, A.V. (2025). Early maladaptive schemas, schema modes and violence risk in persons found not guilty by reason of insanity: gender differences. Psychology and Law, 15(4), 81–103. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2025150405

© Surgutskiy E.D., Vartanyan G.A., Khanko A.V., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Evgeny D. Surgutskiy, Research Engineer, Saint-Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2381-8537, e-mail: evgeniipsy@gmail.com

Gayane A. Vartanyan, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Senior Research Fellow, Department of Psychology, Saint Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6266-4713, e-mail: g.vartanyan@spbu.ru

Alexander V. Khanko, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Chief of Psychology Service, Psychiatric Hospital No 1 named after P.P. Kashchenko, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1465-2483, e-mail: aleksandrkhanko@yandex.ru

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