NCJ Number
241776
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2013 Pages: 183-189
Date Published
February 2013
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a critical review of epidemiological studies published since 1980 on the link between psychosis and violent behavior.
Abstract
A substantial number of studies have been conducted on the link between psychosis and violence, and the key finding of this research is that persons with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders are at increased risk for engaging in violent behavior; however, when controlling for confounding variables, such as genetic vulnerability, environmental factors, and comorbid conditions (such alcohol abuse), the relationship between schizophrenia and psychosis on the one hand and violence, aggression, and crime on the other hand becomes considerably weaker. This indicates that factors other than mental illness alone have a dominant influence on violence. Most studies that have examined the epidemiology of violence in psychosis, however, have not given sufficient attention to these confounding factors. Future research on the specific factors in violent behavior in psychotic patients should focus on intra-individual determinants of violent behavior, such as specific psychotic symptoms, the experience of emotions, cognitive distortions, genetic influence, gene-environment interactions, and neurobiological factors. This should produce a better understanding of the nature, origins, and treatment of violent behavior in psychotic disorders. The current review of research searched electronic databases, identifying 5,756 articles. A total of 26 articles met all selection criteria. These studies were categorized according to their research design (birth cohort, community, or register/record-based). Selection criteria are explained. 3 tables and 61 references