Table of Contents

Measurement and Epidemiology.- Assessing Aggression of Psychiatric Patients: Methods of Measurement and Its Prevalence.- The Psychology and Sociology of the Violent Incident.- Psychological Theories of Aggression: Principles and Application to Practice.- From the Individual to the Interpersonal: Environment and Interaction in the Escalation of Violence in Mental Health Settings.- Users' Perceptions and Views on Violence and Coercion in Mental Health.- Prediction and Management.- Diversity and Consistency in the Legal Management of Involuntary Admission and Treatment Across Europe.- Prediction of Violence in Inpatient Settings.- Nonphysical Conflict Management and Deescalation.- Coercive Measures in the Management of Imminent Violence: Restraint, Seclusion and Enhanced Observation.- The Pharmacological Management of Aggression.- Improving Staff Skills in Handling Management.- Aggression Management Training Programs: Contents, Implementation, and Organization.- The Effects of Aggression Management Training for Mental Health Care and Disability Care Staff: A Systematic Review.- The Organizational Context.- Locating Training Within a Strategic Organizational Response to Aggression and Violence.- Safety and Security in Psychiatric Clinical Environments.- Ward Culture and Atmosphere.- Consequences: Handling the Aftermath.- Psychological Responses Following Exposure to Violence.

About the Author

Richard Whittington, PhD, is a senior lecturer in the School of Health Sciences, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. He is a psychologist and researcher with a background as a mental health nurse in intensive care and general acute psychiatric settings. He has published widely on the psychological and social causes and effects of aggression in mental health care. Current projects include systematic reviews of risk assessment and interventions in forensic mental health funded by the UK NHS R&D programme. Dirk Richter, PhD, nurse (with working experience in mental health) and sociologist, currently researcher and quality manager at Westphalian Hospital in Muenster, Germany, and associate professor ('Privatdozent') at the Institute of Sociology, University of Muenster. In German, Dirk Richter has authored and edited three books on violence in health care. He has co-authored a widely spread booklet on conflict management in psychiatric settings and has written several research papers and book chapters on the topic. Dirk Richter has also published in fields such as social psychiatry, evaluation and quality management, medical philosophy, nursing science, social theory and nationalism research. His last book on the sociology of mental disorders in the era of life sciences has been published in 2003(in German).

Reviews

From the reviews: "Violence in Mental Health Settings, is aimed at educating the reader in research into violence in mental health settings and does so very well. … It includes practical recommendations and will be useful to anyone working in an impatient setting. … If you read … you will get a good overall view of where to start in dealing with violence and managing future risk of violence." (Dr. Sarah Gladden, The Psychologist, October, 2007) "This edited text brings together many well-known authors, giving a truly international flavour to the subject matter. … It gives the reader a wealth of evidence in relation to theories, interventions and data on violence in mental heath settings. The depth and detail of this text is a strength … . Individual chapters are extremely informative … . editors make the claim that this text is aimed at therapists, nurses, social workers and counsellors. … should be read by those looking to develop future policy." (Tracey Cassidy, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2007)