Scoping review links structured multi-component interventions to reduced forensic aggression

A scoping review of 53 studies found that structured therapeutic interventions for aggression in forensic psychiatric settings were generally associated with favorable outcomes, with the strongest effects reported for programs combining multiple strategies and involving both staff and patients. The review identified psychological and behavioral interventions in nearly two-thirds of the included studies, while multi-component programs often combined behavioral, psychological, pharmacological, environmental, technological and other strategies. The authors characterized the evidence as supporting structured, multi-component interventions, but cautioned that methodological heterogeneity and inconsistent reporting limit comparisons among treatments.

The researchers followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and reported the work in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A comprehensive search covered MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMCARE and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews, without restrictions on publication date or language. The search identified 1,375 records, of which 53 met the inclusion criteria. At least two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction and quality assessment, supporting a systematic process for mapping the intervention literature.

The included research came from multiple countries, including 18 studies set in the United Kingdom and 12 in the United States. Psychological and behavioral approaches were the most common intervention type described across the review. Reports of these approaches were generally consistent in showing positive outcomes. At the same time, many studies used multi-modal programs that combined several kinds of intervention, making it difficult to separate the contribution of any single component. Among the broader patterns identified, interventions addressing both staff and patients showed the most favorable effects.

Because this was a scoping review, its purpose was to map available interventions and summarize their reported effects rather than calculate one pooled treatment effect. Substantial differences among studies restricted direct comparability. The authors specifically identified methodological heterogeneity and differences in reporting as limitations. They called for future research to use standardized outcome measures, rigorous study designs and globally representative samples to strengthen the evidence and improve its clinical applicability.

The findings point toward coordinated treatment rather than establishing one universally superior therapy. The review indicates that structured programs combining several strategies may be effective against aggression in forensic psychiatric care, and that approaches engaging both patients and staff produced the most favorable reported effects. It does not establish that every multi-component program is necessarily more effective than every single-strategy intervention, nor does it show that a particular program will produce the same result in every institution. Its practical significance lies instead in identifying a consistent feature of favorable reports: interventions were structured, combined multiple methods and included both staff- and patient-centered elements. The authors conclude that stronger, more standardized research is needed to determine how reliably these patterns translate into clinical benefit.

Subject of Research: Therapeutic interventions for reducing aggression in forensic psychiatric settings

Article Title: The impacts of therapeutic interventions on reducing aggression among individuals in forensic psychiatric settings: A scoping review

Article References: Lo, M., Elshikh, L., Kaggwa, M. M., Ostermeyer, B. K., & Olagunju, A. T. (2026). The impacts of therapeutic interventions on reducing aggression among individuals in forensic psychiatric settings: A scoping review. BMC Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05827-1

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-05827-1

Keywords: forensic psychiatry, aggression reduction, scoping review, multi-component interventions, psychological interventions, behavioral interventions, patient-centered care, staff-centered care, clinical evidence, therapeutic programs, impacts, therapeutic