The Utility of Patients’ Self-Perceptions of Violence Risk: Consider Asking the Person Who May Know Best

When assessing an individual's risk of behaving violently, clinicians should consider asking the person who may know best. In this study, clinicians interviewed inpatients who had co-occurring disorders and who were considered to pose a high risk of violence. The interviewers used two well-regarded assessment tools to rate patients' potential for violent behavior. They also asked the patients to rate their own risk of violence. Patients' ratings were fairly accurate in predicting violent behavior two months after discharge and outperformed predictions based on the two assessment tools.