The Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background While structured professional judgement approaches to assessing and managing the risk of violence have been extensively examined in mental health/forensic settings, the application of the findings to people with an intellectual disability is less extensively researched and reviewed. This review aimed to assess whether risk assessment tools have adequate predictive validity for violence in adults with an intellectual disability.

Methods Standard systematic review methodology was used to identify and synthesize appropriate studies.

Results A total of 14 studies were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies assessed the predictive validity of 18 different risk assessment tools, mainly in forensic settings. All studies concluded that the tools assessed were successful in predicting violence. Studies were generally of a high quality.

Conclusions There is good quality evidence that risk assessment tools are valid for people with intellectual disability who offend but further research is required to validate tools for use with people with intellectual disability who offend.