Sociodemographic, Psychological, and Biochemical Markers and Their Relationship with Psychopathy in Incarcerated Individuals

Abstract

The current reality that permeates the penitentiary scenario in Brazil raises a series of questions about the well-being of this population in the face of incarceration conditions. In this context, this research aimed to investigate sociodemographic markers, testosterone levels, the 2D/4D ratio, and mental disorders such as stress, anxiety, and depression, and their relationship with psychopathy disorder in incarcerated individuals. An observational crosssectional study was conducted, and data collection took place in a penitentiary in the Southwest of Paraná, involving a sample of 496 male individuals. The results obtained highlighted the main characteristics of a relatively young population, where the vast majority completed up to elementary education (56.4%), predominantly consisting of unmarried individuals (60.3%), having children (66.4%), and exhibiting a history of recidivism (57.14%). Regarding assessments related to the presence of depression, anxiety, and stress, individuals were characterized by exhibiting normality, with values of 58.31%, 51.71%, and 46.61%, respectively. Primary Psychopathy (mean: 38.88) was notably significant when compared to data from other penitentiaries worldwide, prompting a more detailed examination due to the severity observed.