Citation

Haggard-Grann U, Hallqvist J, Långström N, Moller J. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 2006; 41(7): 532-540.

Affiliation

Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Violence Prevention, Karolinska Institutet, P.O. Box 23000, 104 35, Stockholm, Sweden. ulrika.haggard@ki.se

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00127-006-0056-0

PMID

16565911

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to analyse the triggering or acute risk effect of psychiatric symptoms and interpersonal stressors on criminal violence. METHOD: One hundred and thirty three violent offenders were recruited from a forensic psychiatric evaluation (FPE) unit and a national prison evaluation unit in Sweden during 2002-2003, and were interviewed about trigger exposures. A case-crossover design was used eliminating long-term within individual confounding. RESULTS: Suicidal ideation or parasuicide within 24 h before the violent event conferred a ninefold risk increase. In contrast, violent ideation did not trigger criminal violence. Hallucinations yielded a fourfold risk increase, whereas paranoid thoughts were associated with a small and statistically non-significant risk increase. Acute conflicts with others and being denied psychiatric care within 24 h before violence also increased the risk of acting violently. CONCLUSIONS: Some tested psychiatric symptoms and stressors triggered criminal violence, whereas others did not. The case-crossover design may be particularly useful for the study of triggers of violence.

Language: en