[Treatment progress scale for violent psychosis patients].

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Forensic Psychiatry

Background:

• Patient dangerousness is linked to several documented factors.
• Assessing treatment progress in violent psychotic patients with severe, persistent diseases requires specific tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Treatment Progress Scale (TPS) for documenting the course of dangerousness in violent psychotic patients.
• To create a systematic instrument for assessing treatment observance and patient evolution.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and multidisciplinary team expertise were used to develop the TPS.
• The TPS was implemented and evaluated over five years in a psychiatric treatment unit.

Main Results:

• The TPS demonstrated good interrater reliability and ease of use.
• The scale systematically assesses clinical parameters, validating treatment adherence and patient progress over time.
• It facilitates communication among multidisciplinary teams and clarifies treatment targets, enhancing dangerousness assessment.

Conclusions:

• The TPS is a relevant and valuable instrument for the violent psychotic inpatient population.
• It improves the identification of treatment progress and refines the understanding of dangerousness from an evolutionary standpoint.
• Future adaptations of the TPS could cater to outpatient and general psychiatric settings.