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Violence by psychiatric in-patients
1Liverpool Rotational Scheme, Ashworth Hospital, Maghull, Merseyside.
Medicine, Science, and the Law
|October 1, 1991
Summary
Psychiatric in-patient violence is often perpetrated by young schizophrenic patients, particularly in crowded settings. While difficult to predict, understanding risk factors can help prevent assaults, most often affecting nursing staff.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Criminology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Violence among psychiatric in-patients is a significant concern in mental healthcare settings.
- Existing research presents varied findings on the characteristics and contexts of patient-perpetrated violence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing studies on violence committed by psychiatric in-patients.
- To identify common characteristics of violent patients and settings.
- To discuss prediction and prevention strategies for assaultive behavior.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on psychiatric in-patient violence.
- Synthesis of findings regarding patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and environmental factors.
- Analysis of assault outcomes and victim profiles.
Main Results:
- Young schizophrenic patients are frequently identified as assailants.
- A small subset of patients are repeatedly violent, often exhibiting neurological impairments.
- Violence is more common in crowded, unstructured environments.
- Nursing staff are the most frequent victims, with some individuals experiencing repeated assaults.
- Assaults rarely result in severe physical harm.
Conclusions:
- Violence in psychiatric settings is complex, influenced by patient factors and environment.
- Predicting and preventing violence requires further research into risk factors and effective interventions.
- Standardized definitions and grading of assaults are needed for consistent data collection.