CHARACTERISTICS OF VIOLENT VERSUS NONVIOLENT PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Recent research has demonstrated an associative link between some form s of mental illness and violence. While much of this violence is commi tted by persons with schizophrenia, the characteristics of violent ver sus nonviolent schizophrenic patients has received limited attention. Two studies with small sample sizes compared these groups on psycholog ical dimensions in acute care settings, but there appears to be no stu dy of continuing care inpatients. This study compared a statewide samp le of violent and nonviolent inpatients with schizophrenia on several domains of-social interpersonal behavior. In a between-group analysis, violent patients showed evidence of serious dysfunction in community self-care and community adjustment, whereas the nonviolent were more i mpaired in the areas of depression, restlessness, and internal confusi on. A within-group analysis of patients with interpersonal violence an d those with noninterpersonal violence yielded similar findings of ser ious community dysfunction versus internal confusion. The implications are discussed.