BERKELEY —
Mass shootings at the hands of unhinged loners – such as those in Aurora, Colorado; Santa Barbara, California, and Newtown, Connecticut – perpetuate a commonly held belief that mental illness triggers violent crimes.
But a new study from UC Berkeley shows that hallucinations and delusions associated with psychiatric disorders seldom foreshadow acts of aggression.
In a painstaking review of 305 violent incidents in the United States, the researchers found that only 12 percent were preceded by psychosis. While numerous studies have found that brutality and bloodshed are more likely to be sparked by anger, access to firearms and substance abuse, this latest analysis is the first to look at the regularity of psychosis-induced violence among the mentally ill.
The results, recently reported in the online edition of the journal Clinical Psychological Science, challenge the media-fueled stereotype of homicidal mayhem.
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2015/05/11/psychosisandviolence/