CHARACTERISTICS OF VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY BY FEMALE-PATIENTS SEEN IN A PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICE

Objective: This study examined differences in factors associated with violence toward others by female and male patients evaluated in a psyc hiatric emergency service. Methods: A sample of 812 psychiatric patien ts recruited in the emergency service of an urban psychiatric hospital were followed in the community over a six-month period. Patients prov ided self-reports of violent incidents, and collateral informants also provided reports of the incidents. Official records were also reviewe d. During the follow-up period, 369 patients (213 male and 156 female patients) engaged in violence, defined as laying hands on another pers on in a threatening manner or threatening another person with a weapon . Results: Male and female patients did not differ significantly in fr equency and seriousness of violence, but they did differ on who the co -combatant was and where the incident took place. Conclusions: Gender is not a strong predictor of involvement in violence by psychiatric pa tients. The observed gender differences in location in which violence took place and identity of the co-combatant may be related to differen ces in the social worlds of men and women, with men having more opport unity for public violence with strangers.