Family Violence among Adults with Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

Violence against family caregivers by their adult relatives with severe mental illness is a taboo area of public discourse and scientific research because of fears of further stigmatizing this population. Yet, these families experience violence at a rate estimated to be between 10% and 40%, which is considerably higher than the general population. This article reviews the limited research on violence of adults with severe mental illness against their family caregivers and proposes a conceptual framework that can further stimulate study in an area that has been neglected too long by both mental health and family violence investigators. Research on this topic is essential in developing effective policy and practice interventions.