Psychiatry Research EG

Victimization is a serious and prevalent problem in individuals with serious mentally illnesses [1]. Therefore, individuals with mental disorders, especially those with severe mental illness, living in the community are vulnerable to victimization and are considered as a high-risk group [2,3]. Studies that have examined this correlation have reported victimization among psychiatric patients to be 2.3–140.4 times higher than that in the general population [4]. Furthermore, Teplin et al. [2] have estimated that 25% of mentally ill patients are victimized in comparison with only 3% of the general population. In addition, it is estimated that the yearly prevalence of victimization among psychiatric patients varies from 16 to 92% [5,6]. Many causes have been attributed to the increased risk of victimization of mentally ill patients, such as impaired reality testing, disorganized thought processes, impulsiv-ity, and poor planning and problem solving, which can compromise an individual’s ability to perceive risks and protect himself/herself [7,8]. Victimization is defined operationally as either covert/relational victimization or overt/physical victimization, in which an individual is either threatened with or subjected to corporeal damage [3]. Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness associated with significant functional and social impairments as well as poor overall health outcomes [9]. Individuals with bipolar disorder show unique symptoms that make them vulnerable to victimization [10,11]. Moreover, the recurrent manic episodes can lead to nonadherence to medication and risky behavior, besides leading to social consequences and consequent interactions with the legal system [9]. These patients may experience high residential instability, as they leave their supported housing earlier than patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or depression, which leads to further exacerbation of nonadherence to medications and substance use problems, as well as vulnerability to victimization [12,13]. However, White et al. [14], in their study on the relationship between bipolar disorder and victimization in the past 6 months, reported that one-third of the patients had been subjected to victimization, and women were almost twice as likely to have been victimized compared with men. It is worth mentioning that violent victimization includes rape and sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault [15]. In addition, a history of past victimization has a significant impact on two important aspects of clinical outcomes: increased homelessness and decreased quality of life. Moreover, it is predictive of future victimization [1]. Marly and Buila [16], in their study on 234 adults diagnosed with mental disorders who were victims of a traumatic crime, found that 51% reported the crime to the police and 70% to someone else, namely, a family member, relative, or service provider; however, perpetrators were significantly less likely to report the crime [3]. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical and psychodemographic profile, including the severity of symptoms and level of functioning, of patients with bipolar disorder who were victimized in comparison with their nonvictimized counterparts.