A Scoping Review on Biological Factors Associated with Interpersonal Violence in Adults with Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

Introduction: Knowledge about the biological basis of violence in people with severe mental illness is needed to formulate strategies in the management of violence. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the biological factors associated with interpersonal violence in adults with severe mental illness. Methods: This scoping review was written with reference to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. The literature search was conducted in MEDLINE (via PubMed), PsycINFO, SciELO, ProQuest and Epistemonikos until October 2020. Primary and Secondary studies in English or Spanish were included without restrictions as to date of publication. The information charted during the process included: authors; publication year; country; type of research; study population; biological factors; outcomes and key findings. Results: Twenty-eight articles were included after the selection process. The most widely-studied population was people with schizophrenia. The biological factors studied in the articles are categorized into six groups: Serotonin function, genes, hormones, neuroactive steroids, brain function and anatomy, and immune factors. Several studies showed a relationship between different biological factors and interpersonal violence in people with severe mental illness. Conclusion: This scoping review describes current research, and provides evidence on a biological basis. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to carry out research into biological factors associated with interpersonal violence in people with severe mental illness.