Interventions with women offenders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of mental health gain

Abstract

Currently, a conjunction of policy, legislative change in health and social care and the criminal justice system, combined with funding for innovative services make it opportune to assess the evidence base for interventions with women offenders. Women offenders have a distinctive criminological, health and social profile and a gender specific approach to their difficulties is advocated. This systematic review and meta-analysis focus on mental health gain in adult women offenders in forensic health settings, criminal justice institutions and in the community, following therapeutic interventions. Interventions were assessed in terms of specific outcome measures of depression, trauma symptomatology and global mental health status. Comprehensive search strategies yielded 3018 articles, from which we obtained 199 full text articles. Seventeen articles were included in the final review, of which six were excluded from the meta-analysis as there was no comparator group. There is a modest, but increasing, body of evidence for the utility of some interventions, notably those addressing the consequences of earlier trauma, including interventions which also address comorbid substance misuse. This does not amount, to date, to a robust evidence base. Limitations of these studies are discussed and include small sample sizes, their restriction mainly to prison populations and that they were substantially undertaken in the US. Variations in outcome measures follow-up and the difficulties inherent in measuring change in this complex population are also detailed. However, the review delineates definite avenues for further work. To achieve this, those responsible for policy, practice and purchase of services should both be mindful of existing evidence and promote additional, high quality research into interventions which are designed around a coherent, theoretical approach.

Violent women: a multicentre study into gender differences in forensic psychiatric patients

“…Bartlett, Jhanjib, Whitec, & Harty, 2014;Blanchette & Brown, 2006;Covington & Bloom, 2006;Heilbrun et al, 2008;Long, Fulton, & Hollin, 2008). In general, these treatment models stress the importance of using gender-sensitive risk assessment and addressing issues such as trauma, (sexual) abuse, and the role of social relations and disruptions in these relations Downloaded by [Orta Dogu Teknik Universitesi] at 09:54 30 December 2015 during treatment.…”

Emotional distress and sense of coherence in women completing a motivational program in five countries. A prospective study

“…Women's psychosocial problems and needs are well documented in the correctional literature from Scandinavia (Amundsen, 2011;Cramer, 2014;Lindberg, 2005;Mathiassen, 2011;Yourstone et al, 2010), and other countries in Europe and outside Europe (Bartlett et al, 2014;Black et al, 2013;Chen, 2010;Covington, 2008, Leschied, 2011Sacks et al, 2012;Sapouna et al, 2011;Zaplin, 2008;Zlotnick et al, 2008Zlotnick et al, , 2009Van Wormer, 2010). Recently, a Norwegian study demonstrated that one out of four women reported major or moderate depression (Cramer, 2014).…”

“…The need to maintain the changes and provide continuity of care upon release from prison and when the women resettle in the community, is evident. When planning programs and interventions for women, attention must be paid to follow-up periods (Bartlett et al, 2014).…”

“…The review showed that participating in a program could improve coping abilities, and possibly decrease depressive symptoms. Bartlett et al (2014) reviewed the interventions in more detail, and found that few interventions resulted in a positive mental health outcome for the women, and that future work must incorporate a gendered understanding of the women's needs, justify the relevance of the outcomes measured and more robust investigations (Bartlett et al, 2014).…”

“…There is a call for research on programs in the criminal justice system that have successful impact on women's mental health needs (Bartlett et al, 2014;Martin et al, 2009;Van Wormer, 2010), and examinations on interventions designed around a coherent theoretical approach (Bartlett et al, 2014). No previous research have covered accredited programs within a theoretical framework based on Antonovsky's (1987) global concept of sense of coherence (SOC), or combined it with the collaborative conversation style of motivational interviewing (Miller and Rollnick, 2013) to strengthen women's coping abilities, motivation and commitment to change.…”