Terrorism and Mental Health: Psychopathology & Terrorist Behaviour

Studies examining mental disorder and terrorist involvement have a convoluted history. Early studies were correctly debunked on methodological grounds, but the existing consensus, that mental disorder never plays a role in terrorism, is likely to be false when we consider the complexity and diversity of the problem. Instead, there are likely to be a range of mental disorders across the arc of terrorist involvement. This work addresses the current discord in the understanding of the potential role of psychopathology, and re-examines well accepted, but as yet untested, theories of terrorist behaviour.