Victimization and Perpetration of Violence Involving Persons With Mood and Other Psychiatric Disorders and Their Relatives

Objective:

This study aimed to examine the rate at which persons with psychiatric disorders were victims of violence by reference relatives and the extent to which victimization and perpetration co-occurred in this population.

Methods:

A total of 523 adults with a psychiatric disorder completed an online survey. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were computed.

Results:

Since first diagnosis, 25% and 26% of respondents reported having been a victim of violence by reference relatives and having committed violence toward reference relatives, respectively. Thirteen percent of respondents reported having been a victim of violence by reference relatives, and 12% reported having committed violence toward reference relatives in the past 6 months. Victimization and perpetration often co-occurred.

Conclusions:

The risk of victimization and perpetration of family violence among persons with psychiatric disorders should be acknowledged. Assessing for risk of perpetrating family violence and intervening in such cases should entail assessing for and/or addressing victimization, and vice versa.