Violence risk and psychopathology in institutionalised adolescents

This article considers the association between psychopathology, psychiatric symptoms and risk of violence. The groups studied comprise 163 institutionalised adolescents from both psychiatric and correctional facilities. Risk of violence is measured with Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) and compared with ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Further, in a subsample comprising 48 adolescents, the association of violence risk is compared against ratings on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and the Suicide Severity Index. Violence risk was statistically significantly associated with rule breaking and aggressive behaviours and with psychotic symptoms like hostility, suspiciousness and hallucinations. The findings indicate that, on a psychopathological level, the risk of violent behaviour in adolescence is mainly associated with features of the externalising dimensions of psychopathology and further with threat control/override type of psychotic symptoms.