Abstract
This study examined the frequency, prevalence and co-occurrence of aggression and self-harm in patients admitted for assessment and treatment to a high-security dangerous severe personality disorder (DSPD) hospital. Results showed that most patients admitted to this unit were aggressive and many patients self-harmed during the period of study. Few patients were neither aggressive nor self-harming. Patients who self-harmed and behaved aggressively were typically aggressive before their first episode of self-harm, and the likelihood of self-harm seemed to increase during the later stages of their hospital stay. Possible explanations for these findings are offered.
Acknowledgement
The assistance of Jacqueline Stacey, who collected and entered data for this study, is gratefully acknowledged.