Predicting Adverse Events in a Forensic Psychiatric Population: a Developmental Approach

While adverse events such as inpatient violence, recidivism, and readmission to hospital are extremely common among individuals found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD), very little is known about developmental risk factors that predict these adverse events in this population. Developmental risk factor research (RFR) focuses on childhood risk factors and later outcomes, and allows for establishing a timeline for events, experiences, and the onset of behaviours or illnesses. The present study is a retrospective file review of inpatients and outpatients at Forensic Mental Health Hospital in South Central Ontario who have been found NCRMD. Developmental risk factors that have been found to predict adverse events in criminal, psychiatric, and forensic psychiatric populations, and adverse events over the period of 1 year were coded. Overall, risk factors occurring in childhood did not predict adverse events. Risk factors occurring in adolescence, specifically trauma, abuse or neglect, predicted adverse events.