Well-Being Interventions for Correctional Officers in a Prison Setting: A Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of well-being interventions offered to correctional officers within prison settings. A search strategy was developed and 11 databases were searched to identify eligible studies. Articles were screened against preset eligibility criteria, and quality was assessed using the Downs and Black Checklist. Nine studies were identified, including four single-group design and five quasi-experimental designed studies. Interventions comprised a mixture of crisis interventions, psychoeducational programs, and an exercise program. For those studies with sufficient data, a meta-analysis was conducted to examine intervention effects on stress and psychopathology. Fixed-effects meta-analysis showed that treatment had no effect on stress or psychopathology. Of those studies that could not be included in the meta-analysis, there were mixed outcomes. These findings highlight the need for more rigorous study designs and suggest further research is needed to examine the theoretical mechanisms in the development of interventions within correctional settings.

Benefits of Digital Mental Health Care Interventions for Correctional Workers and Other Public Safety Personnel: A Narrative Review

“…Implementing programs without rigorous evaluation may allocate already-limited funds toward ineffective or even harmful programs (58). Despite the demonstrated benefits of evidencebased in-person and online psychological interventions for CWs, the number of programs available are limited (18). Even so, the data indicates that the success of CISM and CISD programs can be attributed to their use of CBT techniques-an evidencebased treatment modality (8).…”

“…However, PSP training programs were associated with a greater willingness to access support and decreased odds of screening positive for most mental disorders (8). In another review and meta-analysis of well-being interventions for correctional officers (18), only nine studies met the exclusion criteria, and none were randomized controlled trials. The programs consisted of crisis interventions, psychoeducational programs, and an exercise program.…”

Prisons and Mental Health: Violence, Organizational Support, and the Effects of Correctional Work

“…Even more critically, literature on interventions aimed at alleviating prison worker stress is limited (Evers et al, 2020). Indeed, we have almost no systematic study of how specific features of the correctional environment might affect officers’ health and well-being.…”

Effects of Work–Family Conflict on Southern Correctional Staff Burnout

“…Although it is well established that correctional officers need these resources, recent literature reviews highlight that existing interventions are not effective at increasing correctional staff well-being (Evers et al, 2020). Evers et al (2020) suggests that a key issue is most correctional intervention programs are not specifically tailored to the correctional setting and are not guided by research and theory focused on correctional staff. The current findings assist in guiding policy aimed at reducing job burnout and increasing the wellbeing of correctional staff.…”