The Extended Staff Observation Aggression Scale (SOAS-E): development, presentation and evaluation

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Aggressive incidents in psychiatric in-patients require reliable measurement tools.
• The original Staff Observation Aggression Scale (SOAS) provided a framework for reporting aggression.
• A need exists for more detailed characterization of aggressive behavior and its precursors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the SOAS-Extended Version (SOAS-E) for assessing psychiatric in-patient aggression.
• To enhance the detailed characterization of aggressive incidents, including warning signals and provocation factors.
• To assess the inter-rater reliability of the new warning signals category within the SOAS-E.

Main Methods:

• Development of the SOAS-Extended Version (SOAS-E) with expanded categories and subcategories.
• Inclusion of distinct categories for violent and non-violent aggression.
• Introduction and testing of a 'warning signals' category preceding provocation factors.
• Examination of inter-rater reliability for the warning signals category.

Main Results:

• The SOAS-E provides a more comprehensive characterization of aggressive behavior compared to the original SOAS.
• The SOAS-E distinguishes between violent and non-violent aggression and details associated situations.
• The 'warning signals' category was successfully introduced and tested for reliability.
• Expanded categories increase the scope for detailed analysis of aggression in psychiatric wards.

Conclusions:

• The SOAS-E is a valuable tool for detailed reporting and analysis of aggressive incidents in psychiatric settings.
• The inclusion of 'warning signals' offers new insights into the cyclical nature of aggression.
• The SOAS-E enhances the ability of clinicians to understand and manage patient aggression effectively.