@article{ref1,
title="Self-injurious behaviour in forensic mental health care: a study into the prevalence and characteristics of incidents of self-injury",
journal="Journal of forensic practice",
year="2021",
author="de Vogel, Vivienne and Verstegen, Nienke",
volume="23",
number="2",
pages="106-116",
abstract="PURPOSE Incidents of self-injury by forensic psychiatric patients often have a deleterious impact on all those involved. Moreover, self-injurious behaviour is an important predictor for violence towards others during treatment. The aim of this study is to analyse methods and severity of incidents of self-injury of patients admitted to forensic psychiatry, as well as the diagnoses of self-injuring patients. <br><br>DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH All incidents of self-injury during treatment in a forensic psychiatric centre recorded between 2008 and 2019 were analysed and the severity was coded with the modified observed aggression scale+ (MOAS+). <br><br>FINDINGS In this period, 299 incidents of self-injury were recorded, displayed by 106 patients. Most of these incidents (87.6%) were classified as non-suicidal. <br><br>METHODS most often used were skin cutting with glass, broken plates, a razor or knife and swallowing dangerous objects or liquids. Ten patients died by suicide, almost all by suffocation with a rope or belt. The majority of the incidents was coded as severe or extreme with the MOAS+. Female patients were overrepresented and they caused on average three times more incidents than male patients. Practical implications More attention is warranted for self-injurious behaviour during forensic treatment considering the distressing consequences for both patients themselves, supervisors and witnesses. Adequate screening for risk of self-injurious behaviour could help to prevent this behaviour. Further research is needed in different forensic settings into predictors of self-injurious behaviour, more specifically, if there are distinct predictors for aggression to others versus to the self. <br><br>ORIGINALITY/VALUE Incidents of self-injury occur with some regularity in forensic mental health care and are usually classified as severe. The impact of suicide (attempts) and incidents of self-injurious behaviour on all those involved can be enormous. More research is needed into the impact on all those involved, motivations, precipitants and functions of self-injurious behaviour and effective treatment of it.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2050-8794",
doi="10.1108/JFP-12-2020-0053",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JFP-12-2020-0053"
}