Characteristics of repetitively assaultive patients: ten year analysis of the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP)

Abstract

The pre-incident components of CISM interventions focus on providing information on risk expectancy as well as cognitive and behavioral resources to enhance coping. This paper studied both the demographic and clinical variables of repetitively assaultive patients in a ten-year analysis of the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) in an attempt to enhance predictor variables that might be associated with repeat offenders and thus provide staff additional coping resources. Although the demographic variables offered little predictive information, the clinical variable of personal victimization was highly associated with subsequent repeat assault incidents. The methodological limitations, a proposal for a new research paradigm, and the power of pre-incident training initiatives are examined.