The contributory role of psychopathology and inhibitory control in the case of mass shooter James Holmes

Publication date: Available online 31 January 2020Source: Aggression and Violent BehaviorAuthor(s): Clare S. AllelyAbstractIn this article, the case of Mr. Holmes is discussed in detail with a particular focus on the treatment he received when he was at graduate school in the months leading up to the shooting and, primarily, the findings from the sanity evaluation carried out by Dr. Metzner. In this chapter the I3 model is applied to the case of Mr. Holmes. His attack can be seen as resulting from an increase in dispositional and situational impelling factors and a decrease in inhibiting factors, based on a detailed review on available information, the instigation, impellance and inhibition factors potentially present during the lead up to the shooting (approximately five months) and present at the time of the shooting. Instigation factors included a breakup with his girlfriend and academic failure at graduate school. Impellance factors included chronic (i.e., persistent) and severe mental illness associated with psychotic features (e.g., delusions, hallucinations and disordered thinking); social anxiety disorder (and trichotillomania); chronic suicidal thinking; chronic homicidal thinking and his perceived biological shortcomings. Inhibition factors included experiencing a “loss of fear” or “overcoming fear” of the consequences of killing people; prescription medication which may have increased his inhibition (specifically, antidepressant medication, sertraline — h...
Source: Aggression and Violent Behavior - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research