Functional Deficits and Aggressive Behaviors in an Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital: Description and Clinical Implications.

The primary goals of compulsory, inpatient, psychiatric treatment are to decrease dangerous behaviors and help improve functioning so that a safe discharge to a less restrictive environment can be obtained. This study examined the aggression rates, levels of functioning, and treatment adherence for persons treated for schizophrenia (N = 506) compared with persons treated for borderline personality disorder (BPD) (N = 98) in an inpatient psychiatric facility. Over half of persons engaged in at least one incident of aggressive behavior during hospitalization.