--- title: "Psych News Alert: Study Suggests Factors Predictive of Violent Behavior in People With Mental Illness" description: Results from a meta-analysis in Psychiatric Services in Advance shows that three factors may be associated with an increased risk for a... image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock_000006956987_Medium-Jun-24-2025-05-19-30-4954-PM.jpg --- 3/2/16 12:00 AM # Study Suggests Factors Predictive of Violent Behavior in People With Mental Illness ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/03/study-suggests-factors-predictive-of.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/03/study-suggests-factors-predictive-of.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/03/study-suggests-factors-predictive-of.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/03/study-suggests-factors-predictive-of.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/03/study-suggests-factors-predictive-of.html) | ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock_000006956987_Medium-Jun-24-2025-05-19-29-3596-PM.jpg?width=200&height=133&name=iStock_000006956987_Medium-Jun-24-2025-05-19-29-3596-PM.jpg) | | | --- | --- | Results from a [meta-analysis](http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ps.201500259) in *Psychiatric Services in Advance* shows that three factors may be associated with an increased risk for adults with mental illnesses to commit community violence in the near future. They are alcohol use, exhibiting violent behaviors, and being a victim of violence within the past six months. The findings, the authors suggested, have the potential to help mental health professionals identify those patients who may be at risk to be violent, allowing intervention and possible prevention. The analysis included information of more than 2,500 individuals from five previous studies with mental illnesses—including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and substance use disorder—who were surveyed at both baseline and six-month follow-up on their exposure to violence (being a perpetrator or victim), alcohol and drug use, psychiatric symptoms, and psychiatric hospitalization in the past six-months. Violent behaviors ranged from pushing and shoving to sexual assault and assault with a deadly weapon and were assessed by the MacArthur Community Violence Screening Instrument. Data were adjusted for age, sex, race, and primary diagnosis. “This study provides empirical evidence for three proximal, clinically relevant indicators in the assessment and management of short-term violence risk among adults with mental illnesses,” the study authors wrote. “Although clinicians may never be able to answer the public calls for the absolute prediction—and prevention—of violence by adults with mental illnesses, attending to these indicators in clinical practice should assist in the identification of persons [who may be] at heightened risk of community-based violence.” For related information, see the *Psychiatric News* article “[What Is My Duty to Warn?"](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2016.1b1) (Image: Spauln/iStock) [Psychiatric Services](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatric-services), [assessing violence risk](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/assessing-violence-risk) ## Related posts [adolescents](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/adolescents), [self-harm](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/self-harm), [sleep problems](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/sleep-problems), [sleep duration](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/sleep-duration), [sleep latency](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/sleep-latency), [night waking](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/night-waking), [sleep deprivation](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/sleep-deprivation) ## [Poor Sleep Linked to Self-Harm in Adolescents](https://alert.psychnews.org/2025/08/poor-sleep-linked-to-self-harm-in.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 8/5/25 12:00 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2025/08/poor-sleep-linked-to-self-harm-in.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/group_therapy_iStock-1212830670-Jun-24-2025-07-50-52-3178-PM.jpg?height=200&name=group_therapy_iStock-1212830670-Jun-24-2025-07-50-52-3178-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2020/12/group-interventions-may-reduce-self.html) [stigma](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/stigma), [veterans](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/veterans), [serious mental illness](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/serious-mental-illness), [SMI](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/smi), [Psychiatric Services](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatric-services) ## [Group Interventions May Reduce Self-Stigma in Patients With Serious Mental Illness](https://alert.psychnews.org/2020/12/group-interventions-may-reduce-self.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 12/2/20 12:00 AM [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2020/12/group-interventions-may-reduce-self.html) [![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/hospital_iStock-542689506-Jun-24-2025-10-38-27-7898-PM.jpg?height=200&name=hospital_iStock-542689506-Jun-24-2025-10-38-27-7898-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/06/irregular-hospital-discharge-in-va.html) [suicide](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/suicide), [VA](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/va), [Psychiatric Services in Advance](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatric-services-in-advance), [Natalie Riblet](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/natalie-riblet), [hospital discharge](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/hospital-discharge), [Veterans Affairs](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/veterans-affairs) ## [Irregular Hospital Discharge in VA Facilities May Increase Suicide Risk](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/06/irregular-hospital-discharge-in-va.html) ![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 6/1/18 12:00 AM Patients who leave the hospital against medical advice and/or self-initiate discharge may be at a... [ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2018/06/irregular-hospital-discharge-in-va.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T17:23:05.939Z", "datePublished" : "2016-03-02T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Psych News Alert: Study Suggests Factors Predictive of Violent Behavior in People With Mental Illness", "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock_000006956987_Medium-Jun-24-2025-05-19-30-4954-PM.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/03/study-suggests-factors-predictive-of.html", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg" } } } ```