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Victimisation in adults with severe mental illness: prevalence and risk factors

Liselotte D de Mooij¹, Martijn Kikkert², Nick M Lommerse²

¹Liselotte D. de Mooij, Msc, Martijn Kikkert, PhD, Nick M. Lommerse, Jaap Peen, PhD, Sabine C. Meijwaard, Msc, Department of Research, Arkin Mental Health Institute, Amsterdam; Jan Theunissen, PhD, Research Department, GGZ inGeest: Mental Health Care, Amsterdam; Pim W. R. A. Duurkoop, PhD, Department of Research, Arkin Mental Health Institute, Amsterdam; Anna E. Goudriaan, PhD, Department of Research, Arkin Mental Health Institute, Amsterdam and Academic Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Henricus L. Van, MD, PhD, Arkin Mental Health Institute, Amsterdam; Aartjan T. F. Beekman, MD, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center and GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam; Jack J. M. Dekker, PhD, Department of Clinical Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Depression Research Group, Amsterdam and Arkin Mental Health Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Liselotte.de.Mooij@Arkin.nl.

The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science

|October 10, 2015

Abstract

Background:

Patients with a severe mental illness (SMI) are more likely to experience victimisation than the general population.

Aims:

To examine the prevalence of victimisation in people with SMI, and the relationship between symptoms, treatment facility and indices of substance use/misuse and perpetration, in comparison with the general population.

Method:

Victimisation was assessed among both randomly selected patients with SMI (n = 216) and the general population (n = 10 865).

Results:

Compared with the general population, a high prevalence of violent victimisation was found among the SMI group (22.7% v. 8.5%). Compared with out-patients and patients in a sheltered housing facility, in-patients were most often victimised (violent crimes: 35.3%; property crimes: 47.1%). Risk factors among the SMI group for violent victimisation included young age and disorganisation, and risk factors for property crimes included being an in-patient, disorganisation and cannabis use. The SMI group were most often assaulted by someone they knew.

Conclusions:

Caregivers should be aware that patients with SMI are at risk of violent victimisation. Interventions need to be developed to reduce this vulnerability.

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