Violence Risk Factors in Psychiatric Populations

Over the past 20 years, there has been increasing recognition that certain psychiatric diagnoses increase violence risk. This increase is nuanced, multifactorial, and variable. The risk attributable to serious mental illness accounts for only a small fraction of violent acts. There is much more impact from other risk factors, such as substance misuse. Many such factors increase risk, regardless of psychiatric diagnosis. Some factors are uniquely associated with psychiatric populations, such as a history of suicide attempts, antipsychotic medication nonadherence, and past hospitalizations. This article details recent data on violence risk factors and protective factors for psychiatric populations.