Schizophrenic patients with premeditated aggressiveness have relatively lower IQ and more experiences of abuse while young than schizophrenics with impulsive aggressiveness, researchers at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) said.

That means the former group tends to be more psychopathic than the latter, they added.

The research team, led by Neuropsychiatry Department Professors Kwon Jun-soo and Kim Minah, analyzed 116 schizophrenic patients at a state-run hospital for medical treatment between July and September in 2019 after committing violent crimes. It was the first local research to compare the characteristics of schizophrenic patients who committed crimes.

The researchers divided the 116 schizophrenic patients into two groups – 33 intentional criminals and 83 impulsive ones -- and compared their degrees of psychopathy, impulsiveness, emotional control, the influence of social environment, and self-awareness of their disease.

Schizophrenic patients who easily show impulsive aggression by external stimuli due to lack of control could be treated with antipsychotic or anticonvulsant drugs and mood stabilizers to prevent aggressive behaviors.

However, those who show planned aggression had little to do with psychotic symptoms or difficulties controlling impulses, the researchers said. Schizophrenic people who plan to commit crimes should be treated with cognitive-behavioral and psychosocial therapies with tactics to prevent aggressive behaviors considering their psychopathic nature, the researchers said.

“Aggression by schizophrenic patients is emerging as a serious social problem,” Professor Kim said. “Understanding the aggressive nature of schizophrenia patients is necessary to work out for effective treatment and prevention.”

Kim emphasized that the government should take the lead in treating schizophrenia instead of leaving the matter to patients and their families even when they refuse to receive treatments.