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Aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia: the role of psychopathology
P Cheung1, I Schweitzer, K Crowley
1University of Melbourne, Australia.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to determine the psychopathological correlates of aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia.
Method:
Thirty-one aggressive patients in rehabilitation wards meeting DSM-III-R criteria for schizophrenia were compared with 31 matched non-aggressive patients in relation to their psychopathology using the Clinical Global Index (CGI), Positive and Negative Symptoms scale (PANSS) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale.
Results:
The aggressive group had significantly higher CGI, positive symptom, negative symptom, general psychopathology and total PANSS scores than the non-aggressive group. The two groups could be distinguished by three sets of symptoms: symptoms with verbal or/and physical aggression as part of their definition; symptoms suggesting frontal lobe impairment; and excitement. The two groups did not differ in their level of depressive symptomatology.
Conclusions:
The aggressive group were overall more ill than the non-aggressive group, and the former could be distinguished from the latter by certain aspects of their psychopathology.