Risk assessment for aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia.
Structured risk assessment reduced severe aggression events in schizophrenia inpatients in one randomised trial, but overall evidence is limited.
Risk assessment for aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia.
Aggressive or violent behaviour is often associated with people with schizophrenia in common perceptions of the disease.
To assess the effects of structured aggression or violence risk assessment methods for people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illnesses.
We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Study-Based Register of Trials, which is based on CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, ISRCTN registry, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP, on 10 February 2021.
severe aggression events were about 40% less frequent with structured risk assessment, from one trial
We included four studies in the review.
The total number of participants was not identifiable, as some studies provided number of participants included, and some only patient days.
The studies compared a package of structured assessment methods with a control group that included routine nursing care and drug therapy or unstructured psychiatric observations/treatment based on clinical judgement.
Based on the available evidence, it is not possible to conclude that structured aggression or violence risk assessment methods are effective for people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like illnesses.
Future work should combine the use of interventions and structured risk assessment methods to prevent aggressive incidents in psychiatric inpatient settings.