Stealing lately: a case of late-onset kleptomania

Abstract

The case of a 77-year-old woman first diagnosed with kleptomania is presented to indicate a possible late-onset course of this disorder. Particularly striking about this patient's history of shoplifting behaviors was the absence of an onset prior to the age of 73. Her pattern of stealing did not begin at an early age, and was not sporadic or episodic over the course of several years. The treatment course and patient outcome are discussed in light of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.