Citation

Sjöström N, Eder DN, Malm U, Beskow J. Eur. Psychiatry 2001; 16(8): 459-465.

Affiliation

Göteborg University, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Hospital, S-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. Nils.Sjostrom@neuro.gu.se

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11777736

Abstract

Aggressive behaviour in psychiatric inpatients was assessed before and after a training course for staff members. The Social Dysfunction Aggression Scale (SDAS) was used to report and assess aggressive behaviour over time, and the Staff Observation Aggression Scale (SOAS) to report and assess single aggressive incidents. In addition, the numbers of nursing staff members who were on sick leave because of injuries in the periods before and after the course were recorded and compared. No statistically significant reduction was found in the number of aggressive patients or in the number of staff members on sick leave. One interesting finding was a lower reporting on the SOAS of perceived aggressive incidents after the training course in comparison with the SDAS reports. Directed verbal aggressiveness and violence towards things were found to be predictors of violence.

Language: en