Original scientific paper
Predictors of Aggressiveness in Schizophrenic Patients Treated in Inpatient Forensic Institutions
Klementina Ružić
Tanja Frančišković
Zoran Šuković
Tija Žarković-Palijan
Nadica Buzina
Ika Rončević-Gržeta
Duška Petranović
Abstract
Aggressiveness is a frequent and problematic aspect of the treatment of forensic patients. This study examines the correlation
of aggressiveness and its subtypes with quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction, personality dimensions and
family functioning. The research is conducted on 99 psychiatric patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychotic disorder
similar to schizophrenia (F 20 – F 29) in two forensic psychiatry institutions. The patients committed criminal offence
in state of insanity. These offences had signs of aggressive acts and the patients were therefore admitted to inpatient
psychiatric forensic institutions. The research was conducted by using the Aggressiveness Questionnaire (AG-87), the
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Family Functioning
Scale. The results show that aggressiveness has a negative correlation with the quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction.
Regression analyses indicate that bad family relations and psychoticism are significant predictors of aggressiveness
and its subtypes. We can conclude that forensic patients who committed aggressive offence in psychotic state, who
at the same time score higher values on psychoticism scale and report negative family relations, are more likely to express
aggressiveness also during their stay in forensic psychiatric hospital.
Keywords
forensic patients; schizophrenia; aggressiveness; psychoticism; family relations
Hrčak ID:
27226
URI
Publication date:
7.7.2008.
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