Predicting forensic inpatient violence with odor identification and neuropsychological measures of impulsivity: A preliminary study

Although most persons with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder are not aggressive, a minority is at higher risks to commit violent acts, especially in forensic settings. The first goal of this study was to assess inpatients in a maximum-security hospital with a self-report questionnaire, neuropsychological tests of behavioral impulsivity/ attentional capacities and olfactory functions to determine the strength of association between these measures. A secondary objective was to assess the predictive value of these measures for the commission of violent acts within the institution. Sixty-two male inpatients were evaluated with the neuropsychological battery. As expected, self report assessment of trait impulsivity (questionnaire) did not significantly correlate with behavioral measures of state impulsivity. In addition, neuropsychological measures of impulsivity and attention were significantly associated with odor identification capacities. Finally, attentional deficits (but not impulsivity) and odor identification were both significant and independent predictors of institutional violence. Neuropsychological assessments and odor functions might help predicting (and explaining) institutional violence committed in forensic settings.

Automated summary

Although most persons with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder are not aggressive, a minority is at higher risks to commit violent acts, especially in forensic settings. This study assessed the association between self-report questionnaires, neuropsychological tests, and olfactory functions in inpatients of a maximum-security hospital, and found that impulsivity, attention deficits, and odor identification were predictive factors for institutional violence in forensic settings.