Putting television's portrayal of schizophrenia into reverse: an evaluation of the impact on public opinion.

Aim: We examined whether it is possible to use a television programme to improve mental health literacy about schizophrenia by investigating the impact of the introduction of a realistic portrayal of schizophrenia into a popular television soap opera.

Method: A population level omnibus survey method was used. A market research company conducted face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of the Irish population (n = 993).

Is violence at presentation by patients with first-episode psychosis associated with duration of untreated psychosis?

Introduction: Violence in first episode psychosis poses significant challenges for mental health staff and patients' families. Violence has been shown to be related to psychopathology. Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been shown to influence psychopathology at presentation in first-episode psychosis, but little is known about the direct relationship between violence at presentation and DUP.

Incidence and clinical correlates of aggression and violence at presentation in patients with first episode psychosis.

This study aimed to identify the incidence and clinical correlates of aggression and violence in first episode psychosis. We prospectively recruited subjects with a first episode of DSM-psychosis presenting from a geographically defined catchment area to a secondary referral psychiatric service over a four-year period (n = 157). We used the Modified Overt Aggression Scale to retrospectively assess aggression (a hostile or destructive mental attitude, including verbal aggression, physical aggression and/or violence) and violence (the exercise of physical force), blind to diagnosis.