Abstract

VASCONCELLOS, Cristiane Teresinha De Deus Virgili  and  VASCONCELLOS, Silvio José Lemos. False madness and moral insanity: a historical case of simulation. Arq. bras. psicol. [online]. 2017, vol.69, n.1, pp. 122-136. ISSN 1809-5267.

Simulation of mental disease can occur when people attempt to escape criminal conviction. More than one century ago, this problem already existed in the court system. It has always been difficult to correctly diagnose whether the accused suffered from a real disease or if simulated the disorder. This article analyzes an emblematic case characterized by a difficulty to diagnose a couple involved in a murder in a city in the south of Brazil in the beginning of the last century. The research was conducted in periodicals and judicial processes from that period. The authors conclude that the inconclusive discussions regarding this subject, in a forensic context, are very similar to some current cases.

Keywords : Madness; Mental disease; Forensic Psychology; History of Psychology.

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