Abstract
BackgroundDespite the high prevalence rate of mental health problems among young prisoners, little is known about the longitudinal course and covariates of their mental health symptoms during incarceration, especially the influence of the correctional climate. The current study aimed: (1) to examine changes in young prisoners’ mental health symptoms during incarceration, (2) to identify personal factors associated with their mental health symptoms and perceptions of the correctional climate, and (3) to test the incremental effect of perceptions of the correctional climate on mental health symptoms.MethodsData were obtained from a sample of 75 youths (aged 17 to 22 years) detained in a Portuguese young offender prison. Data were gathered 1, 3, and 6 months after their admission in this facility. Socio-demographic, clinical and criminological variables were collected. Mental health symptoms and perceptions of the correctional climate were assessed through self-report assessment tools. Linear and logistic (multi-level) regressions and tests for differences between means were performed to analyze the data.ResultsOverall, mental health symptoms marginally declined by the sixth month in prison. Prisoners with a history of mental health treatment were more likely to have increased symptoms. Higher levels of mental health symptoms were associated with a history of mental health treatment, remand status, and a lower educational level. Better perceptions of the correctional climate were associated with Black race and participation in prison activities. A negative perception of the correctional climate was the strongest covariate of young prisoners’ mental health symptoms and had incremental validity over that of personal variables.ConclusionsThe results highlight that both characteristics of the prisoners and of the prison environment influence young prisoners’ mental health. Prison management can try to reduce young prisoners’ mental health problems by developing scientific procedures for their mental health assessment and creating a more beneficial correctional climate.
Highlights
Despite the high prevalence rate of mental health problems among young prisoners, little is known about the longitudinal course and covariates of their mental health symptoms during incarceration, especially the influence of the correctional climate
The Wald test confirmed that the average level of mental health symptoms marginally changed over time (χ2 (2) = 5.87, p = .053), and the contrast test revealed that mental symptoms were marginally lower in the sixth month compared to the third month (p = .077)
The level of somatization and the level of obsessive-compulsive symptoms was significantly lower in the sixth month than in the third month (p = .031; Table 5 Incremental Effect of Perceptions of the Correctional Climate on Mental Health Symptoms (GSI)
Summary
Despite the high prevalence rate of mental health problems among young prisoners, little is known about the longitudinal course and covariates of their mental health symptoms during incarceration, especially the influence of the correctional climate. It has been argued that time spent in prison may deteriorate prisoners’ mental health, especially among those with pre-existing mental illness and more severe problems [10, 11]. Longitudinal studies on mental health problems among incarcerated adolescents are scarce, but the existing studies suggest that symptoms of anxiety and depression declined over a two month period in prison [12, 13], and that their mental health in general improved during the first six months in custody [14]
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