Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine clinical and developmental indices of violent and nonviolent schizophrenic patients. Included in the study were 20 treatment-resistant male schizophrenic patients on fixed doses of neuroleptics; treatment-resistance was determined on the basis of documented failure to respond adequately to treatment with at least three drugs from two different neuroleptic classes. Comparisons of t tests yielded significant differences between the violent and nonviolent patients on the Lion's Violence subscales. Significant differences were also found on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Subscale: violent patients presented more pathologic clinical pictures, were rated higher on physical and motor manifestations of tension, reported more subjective stress, and appeared more hostile and belligerent. Analysis of the WAIS—R data showed that violent patients scored consistently higher on all performance subscales. Violent patients also had fewer prior hospitalizations and a more intact late adolescence. Research is needed to understand better the development and clinical course of violence in schizophrenic patients.
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