Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-7qhmt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T08:14:34.025Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Violence and Schizophrenia — a study of the occurrence and clinical correlates of violence among schizophrenic patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Peter Buckley*
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
David Walshe
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Currently Registrar in Psychiatry at St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin.
Hubert A Colohan
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Currently Lecturer in Psychiatry at theUniversity of Southampton, Southampton, England.
Eadbhard O'Callaghan
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Currently Honorary Lecturer at theInstitute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London, England.
Fiona Mulvany
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
Tessa Gibson
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
John L Waddington
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin.
Conall Larkin
Affiliation:
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
*
St. John of God Psychiatric Services, Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.

Abstract

The relationship between mental illness and violent behaviour, particularly in schizophrenia, is an important issue both for health care professionals and the general public. Estimates of the prevalence of violence among schizophrenic patients vary according to patient selection, patient setting, and the definition of violence employed. This study investigated the occurrence and characteristics of violence and its clinical correlates among 698 schizophrenic patients who had been treated in an Irish general psychiatric hospital. Violent behaviour occurred in 16% of patients. The vast majority of acts were of a minor nature and serious physical assault was noted in only 1% of cases. Our findings are discussed with reference to the available literature.

Type
Original Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Weller, MPI. Aspects of violence. Lancet 1987; i: 615–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Krakowski, M, Volavka, J, Brizer, D. Psychopathology and violence: A review of literature. Compr Psychiatry 1986; 27: 131–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Fottrell, E. Violent behaviour by psychiatric patients. Br J Hosp Med 1981; 25: 2836.Google ScholarPubMed
4.Fottrell, E. A study of violent behaviour among patients in psychiatric hospitals. Br J Psychiatry 1980; 136: 216–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Shader, RI, Jackson, AH, Harmatz, JS, Appelbaum, PS. Patterns of violent behaviour among schizophrenic inpatients. Dis Nerv Syst 1977; 38: 1316.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Tardiff, K, Sweillam, A. Assaultive behaviour among chronic inpatients. Am J Psychiatry 1982; 139: 212–15.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Pearson, M, Wilmot, E, Padi, M. A study of violent behaviour among in-patients in a psychiatric hospital. Br J Psychiatry 1986; 149: 232–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Rossi, AM, Jacobs, M, Monteleone, M, Olsen, R, Surber, RW, Winkler, EL, Wommack, A. Characteristics of psychiatric patients who engage in assaultive or other fear inducing behaviour. J Nerv Ment Dis 1986; 174: 154–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Karson, C, Bigelow, LB. Violent behaviour in schizophrenic inpatients. J Nerv Ment Dis 1987; 175: 161–64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Yesavage, JA, Becker, JMT, Werner, PD, Patton, MJ, Seeman, K, Brunsting, DW, Mills, MJ. Family conflict, psychopathology, and dangerous behaviour by schizophrenic inpatients. Psychiatry Res 1983; 8: 271–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Convit, A, Jaeger, J, Pin Lin, S, Meisner, M, Volavka, J. Predicting assaultiveness in psychiatric inpatients: A pilot study. Hosp Community Psychiatry 1988; 39: 429–34.Google ScholarPubMed
12.Planansky, K, Johnston, R. Homicidal aggression in schizophrenic men. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1977; 55: 6573.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Roy, S, Herrera, J, Parent, M, Costa, J. Violent and nonviolent schizophrenic patients: clinical and developmental characteristics. Psychol Rep 1987; 61: 855–61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Yesavage, JA. In-patient violence and the schizophrenic patient. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1983; 67: 353–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.O'Shea, B. The violent breed. Ir J Psychol Med 1989; 17: 610.Google Scholar
16.O'Shea, B, Mee, D. McGennis, A, Storey, A. Patients' violence towards psychiatric nurses. Psych Nurs 1983; 2: 1520.Google Scholar
17.McGarry, P. Aggressive behaviour among mentally handicapped females in a closed villa. Ir J Psychol Med 1989; 6: 125–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Cooper, SJ, Browne, FW, McClean, KJ, King, DJ. Aggressive behaviour in a psychiatric observation ward. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1983; 68: 386–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.O'Shea, B. Findings of a study on violence against general practitioners in rural and urban Ireland. Ir Med News 1987; 3: 68.Google Scholar
20.Andreason, NC. The Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms. Iowa City: University of Iowa, 1984.Google Scholar
21.Andreason, NC. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. Iowa City: University of Iowa, 1981.Google Scholar
22.Yesavage, JA. Correlates of dangerous behaviour by schizophrenics in hospital. J Psychiat Res 1984; 18: 225–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.McNeil, DE. Binder, RL. Patients who bring weapons to the psychiatric emergency room. J Clin Psychiatry 1987; 48: 230–3.Google Scholar
24.Tardiff, K, Koenigsberg, HW. Assaultive behaviour among psychiatric out-patients. Am J Psychiatry: 142: 960–63.Google Scholar
25.Chuang, HT, Williams, R, Dalby, JT. Criminal behaviour among schizophrenics. Can J Psychiatry 1987; 32: 255–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.Bradford, JM. Forensic psychiatric aspects of schizophrenia. Psychiat J Uni Ottawa 1983; 8: 96101.Google ScholarPubMed
27.Dooley, E. Aggressive incidents in a secure hospital. Med Sci Law 1986; 26: 125–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Addad, M, Benezech, M, Bourgeois, M, Yesavage, J. Criminal acts among schizophrenics in French mental hospitals. J Nerv Ment Dis 1981; 169: 289–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Larkin, E, Murtagh, S, Jones, E. A preliminary study of violent incidents in a special hospital. Br J Psychiatry 1988; 153: 226–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.Volavka, J, Krakowski, M. Schizophrenia and violence. Psychol Med 1989; 19: 589–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Loranger, AW. Sex differences in age of onset of schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984; 41: 157–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32.Convit, A, Isay, D, Gadioma, R, Volavka, J. Underreporting of physical assaults in schizophrenic inpatients. J Nerv Ment Dis 1988; 176: 507–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33.Fadden, G, Bebbington, P, Kuipers, L. The burden of care: the impact of functional psychiatric illness on the patient's family. Br J Psychiatry 1987; 150: 285–92.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34.Binder, RL, McNeil, DE. Effects of diagnosis and context on dangerousness. Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145: 728–32.Google ScholarPubMed
35.Hamilton, JR. Violence and victims. The contribution of victimology to forensic psychiatry. Lancet 1987; i: 147–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
36.Bland, R, Orn, H. Family violence and psychiatric disorder. Can J Psychiatry 1986; 31: 129–37.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37.Virkkunen, M. Observations on violence in schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1974; 50: 145–51.Google ScholarPubMed
38.De Pauw, KW, Szulecka, TK. Dangerous delusions. Br J Psychiatry 1988; 152: 9196.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed