Citation

Cunningham J, Connor DF, Miller K, Melloni RH. Aggressive Behav. 2003; 29(1): 31-40.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to complete a mental health staff opinion survey to identify patient and staff characteristics associated with staff assault and injury in psychiatric treatment settings and to develop a model of prediction for staff assault and injury utilizing these survey variables. The data consisted of opinion surveys sent to staff of 15 child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry inpatient units in the United States. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the level of assault and staff-reported injury prediction that could be obtained from the staff-completed opinion survey. Responses indicated a high prevalence of reported aggression, with 62.3% of staff endorsing verbal and physical aggression, property destruction, and self-injurious behavior as being prevalent at their site, whereas only 4.1% rated none of these as prevalent. Staff working with children and adolescents in settings with high rates of psychiatric diagnoses reported increased frequency of assault and injury compared with those working with adults. Younger, less experienced staff reported higher rates of assault and injury. Staff working with female patients reported similar rates of assault and injury to those working with males. A logistic regression analysis using staff-reported survey results of both staff and patient characteristics predicted assault correctly 73.7% of the time and injury 66.1% of the time. Resources for violence prevention and staff training programs in violence prevention are needed in child and adolescent psychiatry wards. Results are consistent with theories emphasizing the importance of negative emotions and affects, impulsivity, and frustration in goal-directed activities in human aggression.