A preliminary study exploring the nature of aggression supportive beliefs in a forensic psychiatric sample

Abstract

Purpose: This preliminary study aims to investigate and describe aggression supportive normative beliefs among patients of a high secure hospital.

Design: Therapy data from a sample of high secure forensic hospital patients (N = 11) who had participated in Life Minus Violence-Enhanced (LMV-E), a long-term violence therapy, was examined using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). During therapy, cognitions linked to past incidences of aggression were explored using Aggression Choice Chains (ACCs).

Findings: IPA was applied to data generated through this process to examine the presence and nature of normative beliefs reported, identifying seven themes: Rules for Aggressive Behaviour; Use of Violence to Obtain Revenge; Processing Emotions with Violence; Surviving in a Threatening World; Do Not Become a Victim; Employing Violence to Maintain Status; and Prosocial Beliefs. Originality: Findings demonstrate that forensic patients have specific aggression supportive normative beliefs, which may be malleable. Limitations and implications are discussed.