Characteristics of aggressive behavior among male inpatients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: The incidence of the aggressive behavior is higher among the patients with severe mental disorder such as schizophrenia than the general population. The study of factors related to aggressive behavior has great meaning in designing prevention and intervention methods with this population of patients. AIMS: To understand the characteristics of assaultive behavior of male patients with schizophrenia who have been hospitalized. METHODS: Using a continuous sampling method, data from 75 male inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia was collected at the psychiatric unit of Central South University Second Xiangya Hospital (Changsha, China) from August 2015 to February 2016.On the third day after hospitalization participants were given a general questionnaire as well as being assessed using the modified overt aggression scale (MOAS), historical clinical risk management-20 (HCR-20) questionnaire, hare psychopathic checklist-revised (PCL-R), and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS).Based on results of the MOAS participants were group into an 'aggressive behavior' group (39 cases) and 'non-aggressive behavior' group (36 cases). The differences in socio-demographic characteristics and scores on the other evaluation tools were then compared between these two groups. 结果: HCR-20 中的H1（既往暴力事件）、H2（年轻 时的暴力事件）、H10（既往不服从管教）、C4（冲动性）， PCL-R 的反社会因子，PANSS 的激活性症状群、偏执症 状群、抑郁症状群在攻击组得分高于非攻击组，且差 异有统计学显著性。. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of adverse and traumatic life events such as a history of violence, vulnerabilities in ones personality (e.g. impulsive or antisocial tendencies) and psychopathology of current illness (e.g. significant anxiety and depressive symptoms) contribute to aggressive behavior in male inpatients with schizophrenia. Our results contribute to the literature that will hopefully aid in ensuring patient and staff safety, as well as providing more information in working with this vulnerable population.