Depression, anxiety, and drug usage history indicators among institutionalized juvenile offenders of Brasilia

Abstract

Introduction One of the most serious socio-educational measures for children and adolescents in conflict with the law in Brazil is their internment. This measure may represent an additional source of stress to this population and present significant impacts in the mental health context. This study aims to describe anxiety levels, depression, and addictive consumption, as well as to estimate the causalities and interactions of these variables. Methods Herein, we report a study in which 175 male juveniles from youth detention institutions of the Federal District voluntarily completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and a short self-rating questionnaire asking whether and how often they had experienced cannabis, alcohol, and other “hard” psychotropic drugs (e.g., crack, cocaine, amphetamine) 1 year prior to institutionalization. Results Of the total participants, 28.00% showed moderate to severe depression scores and 34.28% showed moderate to severe anxiety scores. In addition, the vast majority of participants also reported some antecedent drug abuse, including cannabis, alcohol, and other “hard drugs.” The BDI scores moderately correlated with BAI, but none of these parameters considerably correlated with the antecedent drug abuse. Conclusions The data indicate potentially concerning levels of emotional distress in these institutionalized juveniles which seem to be independent of addictive behaviors. These data deserve attention and further investigation. Thus, a need for preventative mental health for the general population and socio-educational intervention aimed at interned youth which can decrease levels of emotional stress is emphasized.

Well‐being in institutionalised adolescents

“…The Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy (MSPSE; Bandura, 1990, Portuguese version by Teixeira (2008)) were also used. For this study, we employed six out of the nine scales, resulting in a total of 39 items.…”

“…The relationship between antisocial behaviour and social and emotional incompetence creates synergies that contribute to criminal escalation (Arthur et al., 2010). Offenders frequently grapple with conditions such as anxiety and depression at higher rates compared to their counterparts in the wider community (Ludlow et al., 2015; Silva et al., 2021). Young offenders also tend to exhibit tendencies towards impulsivity, displays of aggression and inappropriate sexual behaviour (Armstrong & McGhee, 2019).…”