Self-harming behaviors among forensic psychiatric patients who committed violent offences: an exploratory study on the role of circumstances during the index offence and victim characteristics

Abstract

Background: Self-harming behaviors are common among forensic patients with violent index offenses. While various factors, including feelings of shame and guilt, may influence self-harming behaviors, little is known about how the circumstances surrounding the index offense and the victims’ characteristics affect self-harming tendencies among forensic patients. In this study, we examined the association of the circumstances surrounding the index offence and victim characteristics with self-harming behaviors among forensic patients who have committed violent offences. Methods: The present study consisted of 845 forensic psychiatric patients under the Ontario Review Board who had violent offences (Mean age = 42.13 ± 13.29; 85.68% male) in the reporting year 2014/15. The study examined the association between self-harming incidents with the circumstances during the index offense and victims’ characteristics while controlling for clinical and demographic factors based on multiple hierarchical negative binominal regression. Results: The prevalence of self-harm was 4.14%, and more than half (61.29%) of the patients with self-harming behaviors had multiple incidents. The total number of self-harming incidences recorded in the reporting year was 113. The results showed that of the overall 24.05% explained by the models, the victim’s characteristics contributed approximately 5% points, and circumstances during the index offence contributed an additional 2% points in explaining self-harming behaviors among forensic psychiatric patients during the reporting year. In the final model, the risk of self-harm increased with having a victim who was a healthcare/support staff or a co-patient/cohabitant. Conclusion: Self-harm among forensic patients who committed violent offences is associated with various factors, including previous history of self-harm and the victim’s characteristics, especially when the victim was a healthcare/support worker or co-patient. These findings suggest that self-harm might be a maladaptive way of coping with negative emotions, such as feelings of guilt and shame triggered by harming others. Mitigating measures for self-harm among patients with violent offences need to be robust and individualized, taking into consideration vulnerability issues and the best available evidence.