Precipitants of psychiatric patient assaults on staff: preliminary empirical inquiry of the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP).

Although there has been extensive empirical research on the characteristics of psychiatric patient assailants and their staff victims, there has been a dearth of empirical research on the nature of the precipitants of these patient/staff interactions. Building on the few earlier studies, this year-long, retrospective, empirical study of patient precipitants was conducted within the context of the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) in ten public sector health care facilities. Excessive sensory stimulation, staff restrictions on patient behaviors (restraints), and acute psychosis were the most frequently occurring precipitants. There were no specific patterns to patient assailant and staff victim characteristics by assault precipitant. The implications of this study and future research needs are addressed.