Who Can Get More Benefits? Effects of Mindfulness Training in Long-Term and Short-Term Male Prisoners

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a 6-week mindfulness training program on mental health, anxiety, depression, aggression, sleep quality, mood states, total mood disturbance, and perceived stress among male Chinese prisoners, and to explore whether the intervention effects differed in long-term and short-term prisoners. Eighty-three male prisoners completed the study, including 39 in the mindfulness training group and 44 in the waitlist control group. Results showed that, compared with the waitlist control group, mindfulness training group showed a significant improvement in mindfulness level ( p < .0l), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90; p < .00l), aggression ( p < .05), sleep quality ( p < .05), and total mood disturbance ( p < .0l). Moreover, compared with the short-term prisoners, mindfulness training was more effective on the long-term prisoners in mindfulness level ( p < .05), SCL-90 ( p < .001), anxiety ( p < .05), depression ( p < .05), aggression ( p < .05), total mood disturbance ( p < .0l), and perceived stress ( p < .0l). Given the study’s innovation, we discussed its significance and limitations.

Prisoner’s insomnia prevalence, insomnia associated factors and interventions with sleep as an outcome: a review and narrative analysis

“…Seven studies were identified that had an intervention in a prison setting with sleep as an outcome. One based on prescribed medication and sleep hygiene advice as an intervention, one on yoga (Kerekes et al , 2017), two on mindfulness (An et al , 2019; Ferszt et al , 2015), one on psychological therapy (CBT-I) (Randall et al , 2018), one on herbal treatment (valerian tea bags) and one on a psychoeducational intervention (Hodges-Crowder, 2007). All except the psychoeducational intervention study found improvements in sleep quality.…”

“…Three intervention studies based on either yoga (Kerekes et al , 2017) or mindfulness (Ferszt et al , 2015; An et al , 2019) (both approaches can include techniques such as breathing exercises, relaxation and meditation) reported improvements in sleep quality; however, only An et al (2019) used an RCT design. Other benefits included improvements in stress, anxiety and depression (Ferszt et al , 2015); anxiety, depression, aggression and mood (An et al , 2019); stress, psychological and emotional well-being, aggression and antisocial behaviour (Kerekes et al , 2017). One study located investigated the use of valerian teabags and showed improvements in both subjective sleep quality and sleep duration (Wadey, 2009), but this was a very small study (active n = 15; control n = 8).…”

Participatory Theater as Fieldwork in Chinese Prisons: A Research Note

“…Participatory theater projects facilitated access to prisons by building collaboration between the prison, performing arts professionals, and the researcher, as well as by being considered innovative and constructive by the prison authorities in light of the increasing attention on correctional interventions in China (An et al, 2019;Deng et al, 2018;Qiu et al, 2017;Yang et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2019). Because of the participatory nature of this type of theater, the researcher's involvement in this process is creative and helpful…”

“…"Ideological concerns, lack of training, and resistance of the general public and/or institutions, Chinese domestic researchers found it difficult to either engage in large-scale, systematic studies or in-depth case analysis in areas of law and criminal justice" (Liang & Lu, 2006). Among Chinese scholars who have conducted empirical research in Chinese prisons, the majority of this work is surveybased (An et al, 2019;Yang et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2019;Zhao et al, 2019). This is partly because ethnography, fieldwork, participant observation, and other qualitative in-depth methods require much more access and collaborative effort than is generally available.…”

Mindfulness practice during COVID-19 crisis: Implications for confinement, physical inactivity, and sedentarism

“…One such approach that has a proven track record of providing psychophysiological benefits is mindfulness (e.g., An et al, 2019 ; Goldberg et al, 2021 ; Khoury et al, 2013 ; Pascoe et al, 2021 ). Mindfulness has proven to be efficacious not only in times of crisis, but also in alleviating a range of mental and physical ailments in a variety of other contexts.…”