Journal Article

Symptoms Associated with Victimization in Patients with Schizophrenia and Related Disorders

Kallert, Thomas, Katsakou, Christina, Raboch, Jiri, Fortugno, Federico, Kiejna, Andrzej, Nawka, Petr, Bremner, Stephen, Kjellin, Lars, Priebe, Stefan

2013

Overview

Patients with psychoses have an increased risk of becoming victims of violence. Previous studies have suggested that higher symptom levels are associated with a raised risk of becoming a victim of physical violence. There has been, however, no evidence on the type of symptoms that are linked with an increased risk of recent victimization. Data was taken from two studies on involuntarily admitted patients, one national study in England and an international one in six other European countries. In the week following admission, trained interviewers asked patients whether they had been victims of physical violence in the year prior to admission, and assessed symptoms on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Only patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or related disorders (ICD-10 F20-29) were included in the analysis which was conducted separately for the two samples. Symptom levels assessed on the BPRS subscales were tested as predictors of victimization. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to estimate adjusted odds ratios. Data from 383 patients in the English sample and 543 patients in the European sample was analysed. Rates of victimization were 37.8% and 28.0% respectively. In multivariable models, the BPRS manic subscale was significantly associated with victimization in both samples. Higher levels of manic symptoms indicate a raised risk of being a victim of violence in involuntary patients with schizophrenia and related disorders. This might be explained by higher activity levels, impaired judgement or poorer self-control in patients with manic symptoms. Such symptoms should be specifically considered in risk assessments.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adult / Aggression / Analysis / Bipolar Disorder - psychology / Care and treatment / Commitment of Mentally Ill / Crime Victims - psychology / Dentistry / Disorders / Drug use / England / Europe / Female / Hospitals / Humans / Independent sample / Logistic Models / Male / Mania / Medical research / Medicin / Medicine / Mental disorders / Mental health care / Middle Aged / Murders & murder attempts / Patients / Principal components analysis / Psychiatry / Psychoses / Psychosis / Public health / Quality of life / Regression analysis / Regression models / Risk assessment / Risk Factors / Schizophrenia / Schizophrenic Psychology / Social and Behavioral Sciences / Social research / Studies / Victimization / Violence / Violence - psychology