Anxiety levels among social work students during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled university students to adapt to remote learning modalities resulting in increased of anxiety symptoms. This study explores levels of anxiety, and risk and protection factors among Social Work students at two universities in southern Spain. Thirty four percent were experiencing severe anxiety, and 28.5% mild to moderate, revealing that anxiety levels had increased significantly. Greater concern about academic situation and future economic scenario, living in an urban area and leave the habitual residence increased anxiety symptoms. By contrast, family income stability and higher social support from relatives reduced anxiety symptoms. These results support the planning of emotional support services for college students, as well as the incorporation in the study plans the acquisition of skills to live better in these conditions.

Perceived social support, resilience and consumption of psychoactive substances amongst inmates in prisons.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of perceived social support and resilience in the use of alcohol and other drugs amongst female inmates. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional study with 174 inmates was conducted in two prisons in the Region of Murcia. A self-administered questionnaire was used, which included socio-demographic, prison, alcohol and other drug consumption, perceived social support and resilience variables. RESULTS: 28.2% of the inmates consumed at least one of the substances analyzed (alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin and/or tranquillizers without medical prescription) in prison. The female consumers showed significantly lower levels of perceived social support and resilience, compared to the counterparts who did not consume in prison. DISCUSSION: Findings show how perceived social support and resilience are factors of protection against substance use in prison, and these can be incorporated in future prevention programs for the consumption of alcohol and other drugs during imprisonment.

Evaluation of the impact of family relations on prisoners' health in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: Literature on this issue has shown a high prevalence of alcohol and other drug use in the prison population. Although many risk factors have been linked to this behavior in prison, it is not common to find research that analyses the influence of family/social contact in prison. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 2,709 inmates (2,484 men and 225 women) in 9 prisons in Spain, data was collected through self-report questionnaires, including information at socio-demographic level, family-social contact and use of alcohol and other drugs in the last month in prison. RESULTS: Inmates with no family contact in prison show a higher prevalence of use for all the substances analyzed, binary logistic regression analysis shows statistically significant associations with the use of cannabis (OR: 1.86, p ≤0.001) or cocaine (OR: 3.40, p ≤0.001) in prison. DISCUSSION: More knowledge about this public health problem amongst social workers in the prison environment could be an effective diagnostic and preventive tool for reducing the use of alcohol and other drugs during imprisonment.

Burnout syndrome and work satisfaction in professionals of social work in prisons of Spain.

INTRODUCTION: The specialized literature has revealed the high prevalence of burnout syndrome in the workforce of different prisons worldwide, as well as the influence of various risk factors associated with sociodemographic and occupational factors linked of the emergence of this occupational health problem. The current study measures the level of burnout and job satisfaction among the group of social workers Spanish prisons. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out on 59 social work professionals at the national level during 2017. Using ad hoc questionnaires, the participants offered information regarding sociodemographic, labour, Maslach Burnout Inventory and job satisfaction from Warr, Cook and Wall information. RESULTS: The values obtained were 20.1 (standard deviation [SD]: 11.9) in the emotional exhaustion dimension, 10.6 (SD: 5.0) in depersonalization and 27.7 (SD: 23.2), for personal accomplishment, and a general level of satisfaction of 55.3 (SD: 11.9). We found statistically significant associations and predictive values between the different dimensions of burnout and job satisfaction at sociodemographic (age) and work level (time in the profession) level. CONCLUSIONS: In line with the scientific literature, social workers in prison have a high level of burnout, especially emotional exhaustion, in addition to a moderate level of job satisfaction. The information offered could be useful in the elaboration of prevention strategies aimed at improving the occupational health of this group.

Psychosocial stressors perceived in the process of social reintegration and compliance time remaining in prison sentence.

INTRODUCTION: This study shows the results obtained from evaluating the main psychosocial stressors perceived in the process of social reintegration and their relation to a remaining sentence time in prison. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire based on an ad hoc design was administered, using a Likert scale, with a total of 383 inmates serving sentences in southeast Spain. RESULTS: Findings show that inmates with a remaining sentence period of more than one year, like those who had served more than a year of their sentence, showed greater concern about possible economic difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: The psychosocial stressors studied might provide relevant information to facilitate the process of social reintegration after the completion of a prison sentence.

[Physical attacks in prison, mental illness as an associated risk factor]. / Agresiones físicas en prisión, la enfermedad mental como factor de riesgo asociado.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze physical victimization in the prison population, taking into account the existence of some kind of mental illness, in the prison of Albolote (Granada). METHODS: 270 inmates conducted an anonymous and voluntary survey about victimization. RESULTS: 36.7% of all inmates suffered some form of physical victimization in prison. 62.2% of participants consider that they have anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other mental illness, half of whom receive treatment for these problems. CONCLUSIONS: Physical attacks on people with mental illness are 2.5 times higher than on those who do not have a mental illness.