title: Perceptions of Social Climate and Aggressive Behavior in Forensic Services: A Systematic Review.
abstract: Social climate is a term used to describe the environment of a particular setting which may influence the moods and behaviors of the people inhabiting that setting. This review explores perceptions of social climate in secure forensic services and the associations with aggression. Article searches were conducted using electronic databases, hand-searching reference lists, and contacting experts. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied to each study, and quality screens conducted on the remaining articles to establish those for inclusion. A total of seven studies were identified. Factors which were found to have an association with aggression included patients' perceptions of safety, the level of cohesion between patients, the atmosphere of the environment, and an open group climate. It is argued that services which create positive social climates for both staff and patients are more likely to observe lower levels of aggression.
authors: 1 Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Robinson
authors: 1 Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.|2 Forensic Psychology Practice, Ltd., Birmingham, United Kingdom.|3 School of Social Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
authors: Leam A
authors: LA
authors: Craig
authors: 3 School of Social Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Tonkin
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D000066550:Physical Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011330:Prisons; D012931:Social Environment
keywords: aggression; forensic; mental health; perception; social climate