Intensity of perceived stress and control of anger, anxiety and depression of people staying in Polish penitentiary institutions

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the intensity of perceived stress and measure the subjective control of anxiety, anger and depression in a group of women and men staying in Polish penitentiary institutions. Design/methodology/approach The research was carried out in two penitentiary institutions located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship at the turn of 2019/2020. The study group consisted of 152 prisoners. In the cross-sectional study, two standardised research tools – the Perceived Stress Scale and the Emotional Control Scale – were used. Findings Over half of the prisoners (57.24%) presented a high level of stress. The intensity of the perceived stress did not depend on the gender and age of the convicted persons. The general indicator of emotional control among the respondents averaged 51.82 points (standard deviation = 14.52) and ranged from 22 to 83 points, which means that people detained in penitentiary institutions suppressed their negative emotions at an average level. The prisoners had the best control over fear (M = 18.68), less over anger (M = 16.86) and the least over depression (M = 16.27). Statistical analysis showed a correlation between the level of emotional control and the intensity of perceived stress. Research limitations/implications The small sample size of the group participating in the study and narrowing of the research area means that results can not be generalised across all isolated prison population. Practical implications The results obtained from the study can be used by a multidisciplinary team to develop therapeutic programmes for convicted persons, the aim of which is to evaluate strategies for coping with stress and controlling emotions. Social implications Popularising reliable information related to the issue of experiencing stress and varied emotions in those staying in penitentiary institutions may lead to the elimination of harmful stereotypes functioning in society, as well as reduce the phenomenon of marginalisation of prisoners, and thus contribute to the success of the social rehabilitation process. Originality/value Research on the level of stress intensity in prisoners is important because the rates of mental health disorders among prisoners consistently exceed the rates of such disorders in the general population.

Fear of COVID-19, Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Young Adult Male Inmates: A Portuguese Cross-Sectional Study

“…According to our findings, 75%, 38.3%, and 36.7% of individuals, respectively, exhibited mild to extremely severe stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Recently published studies found that being incarcerated is consistently related to an increased risk of poor mental health [ 41 , 42 ]. Furthermore, we found higher levels of depression and anxiety than those indicated by research on depression worldwide – where depression was 33.7%, and anxiety was 31.9% [ 43 ]—and lower than among Iranian and Ethiopian prisoners, where depression varied between 44% and 66.4% and anxiety between 56.3% and 66.9% [ 44 , 45 ].…”

“…Second, when inmates enter the penal system and serve their sentences, they should be screened for mental health disorders on a regular basis [ 21 ]. Third, this study may help develop psychotherapeutic programs to evaluate how the incarcerated might best cope with stress and manage emotions [ 41 ]. In terms of therapeutic approaches, cognitive-behavioral techniques (e.g., cognitive restructuring) may be beneficial by lowering negative thoughts, worry, and anxiety, which in turn may lead to excessive fears.…”

On the Practical Use of Immersive Virtual Reality for Rehabilitation of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators in Prison

“…No one will be surprised if we affirm that the prison environment and serving a prison sentence is not a situation comparable to life outside prison, due to the inherent restrictions of freedom and institutionalized control prisoners experience. In addition, it can cause considerable levels of stress on the individual ( Kołodziej et al, 2021 ). An interesting question is whether this can affect the effectiveness of immersive VR sessions.…”