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Measurement of violence during in‐patient treatment and association with psychopathology
Author(s) -
Steinert T.,
Wölfle M.,
Gebhardt RP.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.102002107.x
Subject(s) - psychopathology , schizoaffective disorder , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , clinical psychology , psychology , association (psychology) , medicine , psychosis , psychotherapist
Objective : Four available instruments for the measurement of violence were compared. The association between psychopathological status at admission and violence during in‐patient treatment was examined. Method : In 199 consecutively admitted patients (143 with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 56 with non‐psychotic disorders), the PANSS was recorded at the time of admission. Violent behaviour against self and others was assessed for the total period of in‐patient treatment using the scales MOAS, SDAS, SOAS and VS. Results : The sumscores of the scales correlated highly ( r between 0.78 and 0.91), but the scales differed in sensibility and inter‐rater reliability. There was a strong association between thought disorders and violent behaviour during in‐patient treatment in psychotic patients (beta=0.34; P <0.001). Conclusion : Although constructed to measure different aspects of violence, all investigated instruments correlated highly. The psychopathological status at admission is associated with violent behaviour during in‐patient treatment.