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Historical and Epidemiologic Clues

  • history of violence (especially if frequent, serious or unprovoked)
  • threats or plans of violence
  • symbolic acts of violence
  • young and male

Kind of Diagnosis

Certain diagnoses are associated with violent behavior:

  • substance abuse, either acute intoxication or withdrawal
  • acute psychoses (especially acute mania or acute schizophrenia)
  • acute organic brain syndrome
  • personality disorders
  • partial complex seizures
  • temporal lobe epilepsy

Time of Day

Incidents are more likely to occur on a night shift. During a recent study performed at the University of California at Irvine, almost 32% of violent incidents occurred between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-5. Which patient diagnosis is associated with violent behavior?