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Assessing risk of violent behavior among veterans with severe mental illness
Author(s) -
Elbogen Eric B.,
Beckham Jean C.,
Butterfield Marian I.,
Swartz Marvin,
Swanson Jeffrey
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20283
Subject(s) - mental illness , psychiatry , clinical psychology , psychology , injury prevention , substance abuse , poison control , suicide prevention , mental health , medicine , medical emergency
Although empirical research has examined factors associated with increased violence risk among individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) and among veterans without SMI, less attention has been devoted to identifying violence risk factors among veterans with SMI. Using multivariable analysis of a large pooled sample of individuals with SMI, this study examines violence risk factors of N = 278 veterans with SMI. In multivariate modeling, violence by veterans with SMI was associated with head injury, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and homelessness. Results support the view clinicians assessing violence risk among veterans with SMI should consider a combination of characteristics empirically related to violence by non‐veterans with SMI (e.g., homelessness) and veterans without SMI (e.g., PTSD).