Mental Disorder and Violent Victimization

Abstract

Much research has focused on violence committed by individuals with mental disorders, but their victimization experiences have received less attention. This literature indicates that individuals with mental disorders are at a significantly higher risk of violent victimization than are individuals with no such diagnosis, but few studies have attempted to provide or test a theoretical explanation for these differences. This study analyzes data from the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study, a longitudinal study of individuals released from three psychiatric hospitals, to test the effects of theoretically derived risk factors for victimization. Based on multilevel growth curve models, the author finds that symptomatology, homelessness, and alcohol abuse significantly increase the risk of victimization for persons with major mental disorders. In addition, stress and gender interact, predicting victimization, suggesting that—for men—stress increases the odds of victimization. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.