California State Hospital Violence Assessment and Treatment (Cal-VAT) guideline

CNS Spectr. 2014 Oct;19(5):449-65.

Abstract

Here we provide comprehensive guidelines for the assessment and treatment of violence and aggression of various etiologies, including psychotic aggression and impulsive aggression due to schizophrenia, mood disorders, ADHD, or trauma, and predatory aggression due to psychopathy and other personality disorders. These guidelines have been developed from a collection of prescribing recommendations, clinical trial results, and years of clinical experience in treating patients who are persistently violent or aggressive in the California Department of State Hospital System. Many of the recommendations provided in these guidelines employ off-label prescribing practices; thus, sound clinical judgment based on individual patient needs and according to institution formularies must be considered when applying these guidelines in clinical practice.

Publication types

  • Practice Guideline
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aggression / psychology
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder / psychology
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder / therapy*
  • California
  • Hospitals, State*
  • Humans
  • Impulsive Behavior
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Mental Disorders / therapy
  • Mood Disorders / psychology
  • Mood Disorders / therapy
  • Off-Label Use
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology
  • Psychotic Disorders / therapy*
  • Risk Assessment / methods
  • Risk Factors
  • Schizophrenia / therapy*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology
  • Violence / prevention & control*
  • Violence / psychology
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents