Violent thoughts and violent behavior following hospitalization for mentaldisorder

Using a standardized schedule of questions, this study examined (a) the pre valence of self-report of violent thoughts by patients hospitalized for men tal disorders compared with nonpatients, (b) the persistence of violent tho ughts after discharge, and (c) the relation between patients' violent thoug hts while hospitalized and violent acts within 20 weeks after hospital disc harge. About 1/3 of the patients reported thoughts of violence while hospit alized, more than twice the proportion found among nonpatients. Reporting v iolent thoughts in hospital was significantly related to engaging in violen t acts within 20 weeks after discharge for non-White patients, patients wit hout major mental disorder but with substance abuse diagnoses, patients wit h high symptom severity, and patients whose reports of violent thoughts per sisted after discharge. Reporting violent thoughts was significantly relate d to measures of psychopathy, anger, and impulsiveness.