The relationship between aggressive attributional style and violence by psychiatric patients.

Abstract

The authors propose a new theoretical construct for understanding the risk of violent behavior by psychiatric patients: the aggressive attributional style. They propose that a cognitive style characterized by external hostile attributions increases the risk of violence by mentally ill persons. To evaluate this hypothesis, they administered several self-report measures relevant to the aggressive cognitive style, as well as measures of violent behavior in the community, to 110 psychiatric inpatients. Higher scores on several indicators of the aggressive attributional style were associated with violence. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the relationship between attributional style and violence held up when demographic and diagnostic characteristics and impulsiveness were controlled. The authors discuss implications for development of cognitive interventions to reduce violence risk.

Evaluating the validity of anger regulation problems, interpersonal style, and disturbed mental state for predicting inpatient violence

“…In this study, as expected, the overall disturbance in mental state as measured by the BPRS total was predictive of violence, although correlations (Table 4) with the frequency of violent behaviour were small and non-significant. The agitation -excitement subscale and in particular the hostility-suspiciousness subscale were the strongest predictors, and this is consistent with previous research (Gray et al, 2003;Lowenstein et al, 1990), and this adds further support to the aggressive attributional style link with violence (McNiel et al, 2003a). The finding that hostile and suspicious symptoms are predictive of violence in this study supports the findings of epidemiological studies demonstrating the association between Threat/ Control Override symptoms (e.g.…”

“…Research has already identified effective cognitive orientated interventions for anger problems that may reduce the risk of violence (Chemtob, Novaco, Hamada, & Gross, 1997;Novaco and Renwick, 1998;Haddock, Lowens, Brosnan, Barrowclough, & Novaco, 2004). The findings in this study also support the attributional style theory of violence (McNiel et al, 2003a). Enhancing the anger regulatory items of the NAS should be a target of therapeutic interventions, although further well designed treatment trials are required to confirm this.…”

“…McNiel et al (2003a) reported on the contribution of aggressive attributional style to violent behaviour, while Skeem, Miller, Mulvey, Tiemann, and Monahan (2005) explored the relationship between antagonistic personality traits and community violence as a way of explaining the close link between psychopathy and violence.…”

Psychological processes and paranoia: implications for forensic behavioural science

“…McNeil, Eisner and Binder (2003) recently developed a measure specifically to assess the ''aggressive'' cognitive style in 110 psychiatric inpatients. This included attributions about the hostile intent of others, beliefs regarding the perception of threat, and also beliefs about the appropriateness of physical violence.…”

The Taste of Aggression: A Model for Psychopathy and Reactive Aggression

“…physical, verbal, anger, hostility). Other studies have shown links between attributional style and violent behavior (physical aggression or threats with a weapon; McNiel, Eisner, & Binder, 2003) and physical or relational aggression (Bailey & Ostrov, 2008). These studies in combination show further evidence for social-cognitive mechanisms producing higher levels of aggression in various forms.…”