Mental Illness and Violence: Proof or Stereotype?

Prepared by:
Julio Arboleda-Flórez, MD, FRCP(C), DABFP, PHD Epidemiology,
Heather L. Holley, MA, PHD Epidemiology,
Annette Crisanti, MSc, PhD Epidemiology (Student)
Calgary World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health

For:
Health Promotion and Programs Branch
Health Canada
1996

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
Executive Summary

1. Introduction
   Study Mandate
   Target Audience for this Report
   Definition of Terms
   Serious Mental Illness
   Violence
   Search Strategy
   Critical Review Strategy
   Organization of this Report

2. Summary of Key Findings
   Community-Based Studies
   General Population Samples
   Police-Citizen Encounters
   Studies of Psychiatric Patients
   Studies of Incarcerated Offenders
   Prevalence Studies
   Analytic Studies of Mental Disorder and Violence
   Follow-up Studies of Offenders Released into the Community
   Summary of Key Findings

3. Critical Review: Does Mental Illness Cause Violence?
   Control for Confounding Factors
   Confounding by Definition
   Possible Confounding Due to Psychiatric Medications
   Selecting Subjects to Avoid Bias
   Classification of Mental Illness and Violence (Information Bias)
   What Comes First? Temporal Ordering of Factors
   Biological Plausibility
   Proof or Stereotype?
   Conclusions
   Potential Directions for Future Research

References

Appendix A: Annotated Bibliography
Introduction
Causality
Community studies: Empirical Studies based on General Population Samples
Studies of Psychiatric Patients
Studies based on Samples of Incarcerated Offenders
Other Empirical Studies of Interest
Review Articles and Key Position Papers

Appendix B: Glossary of Terms

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Également disponible en français sous le titre
Maladie mentale et violence : un lien démontré ou un stéréotype?

© Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1996
ISBN 0-662-24073-1
Cat. No. H39-346/1996E

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Mental lllness and Violence: Proof or Stereotype?
Issued also in French under title:
Maladie mentale et violence : un lien démontré ou un stéréotype?
Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-662-24073-1
Cat No. H39-346/1996E

1. Mental illness
2. Violence — Psychological aspects
I.     Arboleda-Flórez, J. (Julio), 1939-
II.   Canada. Health Promotion and Programs Branch
III.  Canada. Health Canada

RC480.53M46 1996              616.89         C96-980003-7