It’s a common notion that the cases of weapons abuse (suicides and/or homicides) are attributed to the effect of a sudden psychic unbalance. This paper reviews the connections between weapons abuse and epidemiological aspects, psychiatric pathology and stressing factors events. An effective evaluation involves both, ideally, diagnostic aspects of the current psychopathologic conditions, and, implicitly, also a long term forecast of the risk of self-damaging and other-damaging behaviours. This study propose a model of procedures of medical - psychological evaluation for people requiring firearms certificates (Weapons Risk Assessment), based on evidences from the scientific literature and the current knowledge about mental processes.

Alfredo Clerici Carlo, de' Micheli Angelo, Veneroni Laura, Cavallotti Gaia, Albasi Cesare, in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 2/2010, pp. 209-233, DOI:10.3280/RIP2010-002003