Systematic Review of the Association Between Attributional Bias/Interpersonal Style, and Violence in Schizophrenia/Psychosis

• NCJ Number: 247395
• Journal: Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2014 Pages: 235-241
• Author(s): Stephanie T. Harris; Clare Oakley; Marco M. Picchioni
• Date Published: June 2014
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article presents a review of studies examining the relationship between attributional bias/interpersonal style, and violence in individuals with schizophrenia and psychosis.

Abstract

This article presents the results of a literature review that identified 12 studies that examined the relationship between attributional bias/interpersonal style, and violence in individuals suffering from schizophrenia and psychosis. In the six studies that examined attributional bias and violence in schizophrenic, three found an association between violence and hostile attribution style, while the other three found a link between attenuated self-serving and externalizing biases and an increased risk for violence. Of the six studies that examined the relationship between interpersonal style and violence in schizophrenia, five found an association between coercive, hostile, or dominant interpersonal styles and aggression. These findings suggest that attributional biases might be more predictive of risk of aggression and violence than demographic or clinical variables, and underlying personality traits and other comorbid factors may play a role in the association between attributional biases, interpersonal style, and violence in schizophrenia. Limitations of the studies included in this review are discussed. Tables, appendix, and references