Influence of Locus of Control and Custody Level on Intake and Prison-Adjustment Depression

Abstract

This study examines differences in initial and later depressive symptoms of 325 male prisoners based on three levels of custody and four levels of locus of control. Results extend previous findings concerning locus of control and prison-intake depression by including a measure of types of custody and later adjustment depression. Significant differences emerged for both groups with high internal and external locus of control orientations. The highly internal group was the least depressed at both testings. High externals showed a significant increase in reported depression after a period of adjustment to prison and were the only group with a significant reactive depression. There were no differences in depressive severity based on level of custody or its interaction with control orientation. Finally, depression scores that were initially at either extreme declined so that later, adjustment depression scores fell in the mild and moderate range.

Revisiting the Special Sensitivity Hypothesis: The Prison Experience of White-Collar Inmates

“…Further, research has found differences in prison adjustment through emotions, attitudes and behaviors to be a function of either age (MacKenzie, 1987), gender (MacKenzie et al, 1989;Warren, Hurt, Loper, & Chauhan, 2004), or both (Boothby & Durham, 1999). Finally, MacKenzie, Goodstein, and Blouin (1987) and Reitzel and Harju (2000) reveal the importance of inmates' perceived level (or locus) of control over their environment as an important influence on inmates' prison adjustment. Thus, the implication suggested by past research is that there is reason to suspect inmate adjustment to prison, in general, may be contingent on a number of different variables, and that inmates may experience differential adjustment to life in prison due to a variety of individual characteristics.…”

An Evaluation of the Psychache Scale on an Offender Population

“…Incarcerated offenders are reported to experience a high prevalence of depression and depressive disorders (Reitzel & Harju, 2000). For example, Boothby and Durham (1999) reported that over half (57%) of their sample of 1,494 offenders experienced feelings of depression that fell between the ranges of mild to severe.…”

Perturbação mental e ideação suicida entre reclusos preventivos

“…Sousa, 2007), bem como no estudo de Zamble e Porporino (1988). Estes dados vão ainda ao encontro de estudos que verificaram que a sobrecarga emocional própria da fase inicial da execução da pena se vê esbatida à medida que o recluso de adapta à instituição prisional e que, geralmente os reclusos retomam o seu normal funcionamento depois de reagirem adaptativamente ao impacto da detenção e à fase inicial de reclusão (Cooper, 1974;Elger, 2004;Gonçalves, 2008;Reitzel & Harju, 2000;Ribeiro & Barros, 1995;Zamble & Porporino, 1988). Por outro lado, verifica-se que os reclusos que experienciam ideação suicida continuam normalmente a experiencia-la após seis meses de reclusão.…”