Ce. Newhill et al., CHARACTERISTICS OF VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY BY FEMALE-PATIENTS SEEN IN A PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICE, Psychiatric services, 46(8), 1995, pp. 785-789
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.