Fiery tongues and mystical motivations: glossolalia in a forensic population is associated with mania and sexual/religious delusions
Hempel, A.G.; Meloy, J.R.; Stern, R.; Ozone, S.J.; Gray, B.T.
Journal of Forensic Sciences 47(2): 305-312
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1198 PMID: 11908599 Document Number: 547849
Comparisons are made between a nonrandom sample of 18 glossolalists and 130 non-glossolalists admitted to a maximum-security forensic hospital. The glossolalic mentally disordered offender exhibited a predominance of diagnoses in the manic spectrum, and was typically psychotic. The delusions, hallucinations, and crimes were predominately of a religious and sexual nature. Glossolalist perpetrators tended to be female. We review the extant research on glossolalia in both normal and clinical samples. and integrate our findings, the first study of glossolalia in a forensic setting.