Prediction of aggression on a locked psychiatric admissions ward

Objective: The present study evaluates the accuracy of clinical and archival predictors of patients' aggressive behaviour on a locked admissions ward. Method: Over a 9‐month period, staff members estimated the likelihood that patients would become aggressive during their stay in the ward. These...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica 2002-05, Vol.105 (5), p.390-395
Main Authors: Nijman, H., Merckelbach, H., Evers, C., Palmstierna, T., à Campo, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aggression
Aggression - psychology
assaultiveness
Biological and medical sciences
Chi-Square Distribution
Hospitals, Psychiatric - standards
Humans
Institution therapy. Inpatient treatment
Medical sciences
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Netherlands
Personality Assessment
prediction
Predictive Value of Tests
Professional-Patient Relations
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Restraint, Physical
Risk Management
Safety Management - methods
Treatments
violence
Violence - prevention & control
Violence - trends
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Summary:Objective: The present study evaluates the accuracy of clinical and archival predictors of patients' aggressive behaviour on a locked admissions ward. Method: Over a 9‐month period, staff members estimated the likelihood that patients would become aggressive during their stay in the ward. These unaided clinical assessments were obtained with Visual Analogue Scales (VASs) administered before the end of the first full day of admission. Archival predictions were based on demographic variables (e.g. gender, number of previous admissions, diagnosis) derived from patients' admission forms. Aggressive behaviour was recorded with the Staff Observation Aggression Scale‐Revised (SOAS‐R). Results: Clinical predictions of aggression were found to be moderately accurate. On the basis of clinical estimates, 75% of the patients were correctly classified as becoming aggressive or not. Conclusion: Although a body of evidence indicates that unaided clinical prediction of violent recidivism after hospital discharge does not perform well, it may be quite accurate in estimating short‐term aggression risks during acute psychiatric admission.
ISSN:0001-690X
1600-0447
DOI:10.1034/j.1600-0447.2002.0o426.x