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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 ,
David Walshe ,
Hubert A Colohan ,
Eadbhard O'Callaghan ,
Fiona Mulvany ,
Tessa Gibson ,
John L Waddington  and
Conall Larkin
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.
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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.

Keywords

ViolenceSchizophrenia.

Information

Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , September 1990 , pp. 102 - 108
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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