Aggression Against Self and Aggression Against Others in Violent Psychiatric Patients

The relationship between indices of aggression against self & aggression against others is examined retrospectively in a sample of 103 male forensic inpatients during a 3-year period. Patients with both self-destructiveness during hospitalization & suicidal behaviour prior to hospitalization engaged in the highest frequency of aggression against others. The implications of these findings for the assessment, prediction, & treatment of violence & self-destructiveness are discussed. (18 refs.)