Acting on delusions: the role of negative affect in the pathway towards serious violence
2018
ABSTRACTActing violently on delusions is a significant clinical problem. Recent research has identified state anger as key component in the pathway from persecutory/threat delusions to serious violence. To determine the magnitude of the effect of delusional anger and to investigate a dose-response relationship we carried out a prospective follow-up study of forensic in-patients discharged into the community. Men and women (n = 409) were assessed before/after discharge at 6 and 12 months (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, MacArthur Community Violence Interview). No association was found with a content un-specific measure of delusions, thought disorder, hallucinations, grandiosity and violence. Suspiciousness/persecution was significantly associated with both violence and anger. Anger was also associated with violence. Mediation analyses suggested that 84% of the association between suspiciousness/persecution and violence was explained by anger. Key target of interventions should primarily be the anger;...
Keywords:
- Anger
- Persecution
- Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
- Mediation (Marxist theory and media studies)
- Thought disorder
- Psychiatry
- Psychological intervention
- Affect (psychology)
- Psychology
- Grandiosity
- state anger
- Suicide prevention
- Occupational safety and health
- injury control
- Human factors and ergonomics
- Injury prevention
- poison control
- Correction
- Source
- Cite
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