A Longitudinal Study of Mental Health Symptoms in Young Prisoners: Exploring the Influence Of Personal Factors & the Correctional Climate

BACKGROUND:

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 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.

METHODS:

Data 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.

RESULTS:

Overall, 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.

CONCLUSIONS:

The 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.

Level and Changes in Mental Health Symptoms over Time in Prison

	Month 1 (n = 70)	Month 3 (n = 58)	Month 6 (n = 49)
BSI Subscale	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean difference/Contrast
Somatizationa	0.76 (0.82)	0.75 (0.74)	0.62 (0.70)	χ 2 = 6.70*
				M6 vs. M3*
Obsessive-compulsive	1.21 (0.70)	1.26 (0.81)	1.06 (0.78)	χ 2 = 6.97*
				M6 vs. M3*
Interpersonal sensitivitya	1.04 (0.83)	1.09 (0.77)	0.97 (0.86)	ns
Depression	1.28 (0.78)	1.26 (0.86)	1.12 (0.83)	ns
Anxietya	0.93 (0.79)	0.86 (0.72)	0.77 (0.71)	ns
Hostilitya	0.96 (0.69)	0.99 (0.89)	0.93 (0.74)	ns
Phobic anxietya	0.68 (0.67)	0.63 (0.67)	0.52 (0.65)	χ 2 = 5.88†
				M6 vs. M1†
Paranoid ideationa	1.25 (0.69)	1.34 (0.88)	1.31 (0.85)	ns
Psychoticisma	1.09 (0.78)	1.10 (0.77)	1.07 (0.89)	ns
GSIa	1.04 (0.63)	1.03 (0.65)	0.93 (0.65)	χ 2 = 5.87†
				M6 vs. M3†

Note. SD Standard deviation, M1 Month 1, M3 Month 3, M6 Month 6, ns not significant, BSI Brief Symptom Inventory, GSI Global Severity Index

a Distribution normalized through square root transformation. Descriptive statistics are based on the original data. Mean differences analyses are based on the transformed variables

† p < .10, * p < .05, two-tailed

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/FbBGHB

By:  Gonçalves LC1, Endrass J2,3, Rossegger A1,4, Dirkzwager AJ5.

• 1Department of Mental Health Services, Office of Corrections, Canton of Zurich, Hohlstrasse 552, P.O. Box 8090, Zurich, Switzerland.
• 2Department of Mental Health Services, Office of Corrections, Canton of Zurich, Hohlstrasse 552, P.O. Box 8090, Zurich, Switzerland. Jerome.Endrass@uni-konstanz.de.
• 3Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany. Jerome.Endrass@uni-konstanz.de.
• 4Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.
• 5Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, 71304, 1008 BH, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 
• BMC Psychiatry. 2016 Apr 6;16(1):91. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-0803-z.

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