Self-Inflicted Injury and Coping Behaviours in Prison

Dear, Greg E.; Thomson, Donald M.; Hall, Guy; Howells, Kevin

doi:10.1007/0-306-47150-7_25

Cited by 16 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Staff questions should also focus on inmate motivation, specifically whether the act itself was selfinjurious or suicidal (Dear, 2006). This study reinforces the existing empirical research that finds that prisoners who self-injure have a deficit of active coping strategies (Dear, Thomson, Hall, & Howells, 2002;Haines & Williams, 1997). In response to this need, several recent programs have demonstrated efficacy by improving coping skills in prisoners who self-injure and a corresponding pattern of desistance .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

The Meaning of the Cut: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Prisoner Self-injury

Smith¹

2013

Justice Quarterly

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Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs) represent a significant threat to the morbidity and mortality of vulnerable prisoners, and are now a ubiquitous aspect of the correctional system. Currently, correctional staff receive little specific training or appropriate guidance from national standards to respond to this dangerous behavior. To date, the overwhelming majority of empirical research on self-injury in prison has relied upon the viewpoint of academicians and/or correctional staff. This select viewpoint has reduced the perspective of the self-injuring prisoner to a passive role. In response, we utilized a qualitative methodology to access the perspectives of 20 highly recidivistic self-injuring inmates housed in three South Carolina prison. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to identify fundamental themes underlying SIBs. Findings indicate that the meaning of self-injury is rooted in traumatic family milieus with the behavior becoming a fixed coping mechanism over time. Respondents perceived stress and control as dominant themes, though mental illness, physiological responses, and negative emotional states were also important. While desistance from self-injury appears unlikely, key policy solutions are presented in accordance with these inmate perspectives. This phenomenological inquiry suggests that efforts to understand these inmate "accounts" and personal history serve as a potentially efficacious means of understanding SIBs occurring in prison.Keywords self-injurious behaviors; qualitative interviews; prison inmate; phenomenology; mental illness On 9 February 2010 at approximately 6:40 pm the following incident occurred in Dorm C in Heartwood Prison. Officer Johnson was conducting a security check. Officer Johnson observed Inmate Harold Owens bleeding from his left arm and left leg. First responders were called and arrived at Hayden P. Smith is an assistant professor of criminology & criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. His principal focus of study is the intersection of the criminal justice and public health systems. This includes studies on self-injurious behaviors by inmates, mental health needs of correctional populations, jail diversion, national standards of care, and premature morbidity and mortality associated with reentry. Correspondence to:

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

The Meaning of the Cut: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Prisoner Self-injury

Smith¹

2013

Justice Quarterly

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“…These findings were inconsistent with our expectations as well as with past research that demonstrated greater utilization of poorer coping strategies among self-harmers. For example, self-harming prisoners reported less acceptance strategies and positive reinterpretation strategies (Dear et al, 2001;Dear et al, 1998;Haines & Williams, 2003), but no differences were noted in this nonclinical sample. These differences in findings could be accounted for by context.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

“…Among Australian prisoners, self-harmers utilized less acceptance strategies, direct-action strategies, and positive reinterpretation. Moreover, self-harming prisoners reported an increased use of avoidance behaviors and less perceived control over problem solving (Dear et al, 2001;Dear et al, 1998;Haines & Williams, 2003). As opposed to having ineffective coping strategies, Haines and Williams (2003) speculated that individuals engage in nonsuicidal DSH when they have no alternative coping strategies.…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

“…and prison populations (Dear, Slattery, & Hillan, 2001;Dear, Thomson, Hall, & Hall, 1998;Gratz, 2003;Haines & Williams, 2003;Muehlenkamp, 2005;Nock & Prinstein, 2004). The current focus on negative emotions appears to follow from the affect regulation model, which states that individuals self-harm in an attempt to express or control emotions they feel they have no other way of expressing (Suyemoto, 1998).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Past and recent deliberate self‐harm: Emotion and coping strategy differences

Brown

Williams

Collins³

2007

J Clin Psychol

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Only limited information on nonsuicidal deliberate self-harm behavior among nonclinical populations is available, and it is unclear whether coping and emotional difficulties remain among those with a past history of self-harm behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine emotions and coping strategies among three nonclinical groups with a recent, past, and no history of nonsuicidal deliberate self-harm behavior. College students completed self-report measures of self-harm behavior, suicidal thoughts, emotional dispositions, and coping strategies. Contrary to expectations, there were few differences in coping strategies among the three groups ( p > .0033). Those with a recent history (n = 23; in the last 12 months) and past history (n = 32; more than 12 months ago) of self-harm behavior reported greater levels of negative emotion (e.g., hostility, guilt, sadness) than those who have never self-harmed (n = 161; p < .0045). This indicates that although self-harm behavior had discontinued (>12 months ago), negative emotion differences were present, and both recent and past self-harmers merit concern in managing their negative emotions to lower their risk for future difficulties.

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“…Some hypothesize that individuals who engage in SIB may have a coping deficit that precludes them from employing problem-solving or other coping strategies effectively. For instance, there is evidence that individuals who engage in SIB also tend to use coping strategies that are avoidant in nature and that these types of strategies do little to alleviate psychological distress (Dear, Thomson, Hall, & Howells, 1998;Haines & Williams, 1997). If individuals typically rely on largely ineffective coping strategies and, as a result, continue to experience aversive affective states, they may be more inclined to employ more maladaptive approaches in an attempt to manage the affective experience.…”

Section: Self-harm and Emotion Regulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Function of Self-Harm Behavior in a Forensic Population

Jeglic

Vanderhoff

Donovick

2005

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol

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This article examines the functions of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in forensic populations. The cases of four individual offenders who have engaged in SIB are presented. These cases depict the four main functions of self-harm behaviors including (a) suicidal intent, (b) manipulation of the environment, (c) emotion regulation, and (d) a response to psychotic delusions or hallucinations. Assessment and treatment implications are discussed.

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Self-Inflicted Injury and Coping Behaviours in Prison

Cited by 16 publications

References 8 publications

The Meaning of the Cut: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Prisoner Self-injury

The Meaning of the Cut: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Prisoner Self-injury

Past and recent deliberate self‐harm: Emotion and coping strategy differences

The Function of Self-Harm Behavior in a Forensic Population

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