Screening for risk of violence using service users' self‐perceptions: A prospective study from an acute mental health unit. (24th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lockertsen, Øyvind; Procter, Nicolas; Vatnar, Solveig Karin Bø; Færden, Ann; Eriksen, Bjørn Magne S.; Roaldset, John Olav; Varvin, Sverre
• Is Part Of: International journal of mental health nursing. Volume 27:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 1055
• Page End: 1065
• Publication Date: 2017-11-24
• Subjects: gender -- mental illnesses -- risk assessment -- self‐report -- violence; Psychiatric nursing -- Periodicals; 610.736805
• DOI: 10.1111/inm.12413
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1445-8330

Abstract

Abstract: Service users' self‐perception of risk has rarely been emphasized in violence risk assessments. A recent review pointed to the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, because different perspectives may provide a deeper and improved understanding of risk assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate service users' perceptions of their own risk of committing violence, using a self‐report risk scale, to determine the feasibility and efficacy of this potential violence risk marker during acute mental health hospitalization. All service users admitted to a psychiatric emergency hospital in Norway during one calendar year were included ( N = 512). Nearly 80% self‐reported no risk or low risk; only seven (1.4%) reported moderate risk or high risk. Service users who reported moderate risk, high risk, don't know, or won't answer were more likely to be violent (OR = 4.65, 95% CI = 2.79–7.74) compared with those who reported no risk or low risk. There was a significant gender interaction with higher OR for women on both univariate and multivariate analyses. Although the OR was higher for women, women's violence rate (11.0%) was almost half that of men (21.8%). For women, sensitivity and specificity were 0.55 and 0.88, respectively; corresponding values for men were 0.40 and 0.80. Inclusion of self‐perception of violence risk is the first step towards service users' collaborative involvement in violence prediction; these results indicate that self‐perception can contribute to violence risk assessments in acute mental health settings. Findings also indicate that there are gender differences in these assessments.