Traumatic Experiences and Psychopathological symptoms in Prison Population and General Population

Traumatic events are stressful episodes that exceed an individual's coping resources and have been related to physical and mental health problems, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder. This study aims to compare the prison population and the general population in terms of trauma and psychopathological symptoms derived from exposure to traumatic events in the context of Ecuador. It is a descriptive-comparative and cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 99 incarcerated individuals and 84 persons from the general population of Ambato-Ecuador. The results indicate that persons from the prison population have experienced multiple traumas and re-victimization to a greater extent and present a higher percentage of PTSD and psychopathological symptoms than the general population. In that sense, it is a population that requires more significant intervention to reduce symptoms and prevent violent behavior.

Los eventos traumáticos son hechos estresantes que exceden los recursos de afrontamiento de un individuo y han sido relacionados con problemas de salud física y mental, particularmente con el trastorno de estrés postraumàtico. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar las experiencias traumáticas y los síntomas psicopatológicos entre la población penitenciaria y la población general. Es un estudio descriptivo-comparativo de corte transversal. La muestra del estudio estuvo conformada por 99 individuos encarcelados y 84 individuos de la población general de Ambato (Ecuador). Los resultados indican que los participantes de la población penitenciaria han experimentado en mayor medida múltiples traumas y revictimización; presentan un mayor número de síntomas psicopatológicos y un porcentaje más elevado de TEPT que la población general. Las diferencias que se presentan entre la población penitenciaria y la población general pueden deberse a que las personas encarceladas son más vulnerables a estar expuestas a eventos potencialmente traumáticos por su propia situación social. La población penitenciaria requiere una mayor intervención para reducir los síntomas psicopatológicos provocados por el trauma.

Criminal characteristics and psychopathy in women in prison.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the factors and facets of psychopathy based on criminal characteristics in a sample of women in prison. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional study composed of a sample of 41 women incarcerated in the Ambato prison in Ecuador. In an individual session, the Hare Psychopathy Scale Revised was applied. RESULTS: Recidivist women, with a juvenile criminal history and who are admitted to the maximum-security ward, have a higher score in the affective facet of the PCL-R. In addition, those women who are in the maximum-security pavilion have scored high in factor 2 (social deviance), mainly in the antisocial aspect. DISCUSSION: This subgroup of women in prison is characterized by lack of remorse, emotional insensitivity, manipulation, inability to accept responsibility for their own actions, and superficial affection. Further expansion of the study of psychopathy in women is required.

Características delictivas y psicopatía en mujeres en prisión / Criminal characteristics and psychopathy in women prison

Objetivos: Comparar los factores y facetas de la psicopatía en función de las características delictivas en una muestra de mujeresen prisión.Material y método: Estudio descriptivo, comparativo, de corte transversal, compuesto por una muestra de 41 mujeres encarceladasen el centro penitenciario de Ambato en Ecuador. En una sesión individual, se aplicó la escala de evaluación de lapsicopatía de Hare revisada (PCL-R).Resultados: Las mujeres reincidentes, con historial delictivo juvenil y que se encuentran ingresadas en el pabellón de seguridadmáxima, presentan mayor puntuación en la faceta afectiva de la PCL-R. Además, aquellas mujeres que se encuentran en el pabellónde máxima seguridad han puntuado alto en el factor 2 (desviación social), principalmente en la faceta antisocial.Discusión: Este subgrupo de mujeres en prisión se caracteriza por presentar ausencia de remordimiento, insensibilidad afectiva,manipulación, incapacidad de aceptar la responsabilidad de las propias acciones y afecto superficial. Se requiere ampliar más elestudio de la psicopatía en mujeres. (AU)

Objectives: To compare the factors and facets of psychopathy based on criminal characteristics in a sample of women inprison.Material and method: Descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional study composed of a sample of 41 women incarcerated in theAmbato prison in Ecuador. In an individual session, the Hare Psychopathy Scale Revised was applied.Results: Recidivist women, with a juvenile criminal history and who are admitted to the maximum-security ward, have a higherscore in the affective facet of the PCL-R. In addition, those women who are in the maximum-security pavilion have scored highin factor 2 (social deviance), mainly in the antisocial aspect.Discussion: This subgroup of women in prison is characterized by lack of remorse, emotional insensitivity, manipulation, inabilityto accept responsibility for their own actions, and superficial affection. Further expansion of the study of psychopathy in womenis required. (AU)

Traumatic events, psychological symptoms, and aggression in male and female prisoners.

Objective: Establish the relationship between the types of traumatic experiences, number of traumas, age at the time of traumatic events with psychopathological symptoms and aggression in an Ecuadorian prison. Method: A cross-sectional study with 101 offenders from Ambato's Detention Center in Ecuador. Results: Of the prisoners in this sample, 27 have PTSD. Incarcerated individuals who have suffered intentional trauma, multiple traumas, and trauma before the age of 18 show higher levels of psychopathological symptoms and aggression. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of mental health care in prisons. Research outcomes are relevant for future investigation in Latin American prisons for the design and implementation of trauma-related interventions. Trauma-focused interventions can prevent violence and mitigate its consequences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychometric analysis of a scale to measure fear of crime in Ecuadorian youths / Análise psicométrica de uma escala para medir o medo do delito em jovens equatorianos / Análisis psicométrico de una escala para medir el miedo al delito en jóvenes ecuatorianos

Abstract In Ecuador, as in the rest of Latin America, the problem of insecurity is undeniable. Although there are surveys in the country that measure the perception of insecurity or victimization, there is no instrument that measures fear of crime. This research was aimed at the structural validation of a scale to measure the fear of crime from the psychosocial perspective. To validate this theoretical model, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted. A total of 298 students from the city of Ambato, Ecuador, participated in the study. The average age was 21.28 years (SD = 1.62). Results showed satisfactory psychometric and structural properties of the scale. Furthermore, two theoretical models of fear of crime were developed: a first order factor and a second order factor. Results confirm the relevance of the second order model for explaining the psychosocial construction of the fear of crime.

Resumo No Equador, assim como em toda a América Latina, a problemática da insegurança é inegável e, apesar de existirem, no país, pesquisas que meçam a percepção de insegurança ou vitimização, não há nenhum instrumento que meça o medo do delito. A presente pesquisa tem como propósito realizar um estudo psicométrico de uma escala do medo do delito que parte de uma perspectiva psicossocial. Para validar esse modelo teórico, realizou-se uma análise fatorial exploratória (AFE) e uma análise fatorial confirmatoria (AFC) com uma amostra conformada por 298 estudantes universitários da cidade de Ambato, Equador, com uma média de idade de 21.28 anos (DT=1.62); os resultados mostraram que a escala apresenta índices de bondade de ajuste satisfatórios. Especificamente, utilizaram-se dois modelos explicativos do medo do delito, um de primeira ordem e outro de segunda ordem; este último explicou melhor a estrutura psicossocial do medo do delito.

Resumen En Ecuador, al igual que en el resto de Latinoamérica, la problemática de la inseguridad es innegable, y a pesar de que en el país existen encuestas que miden la percepción de inseguridad o la victimización, no existe ningún instrumento que mida el miedo al delito. La presente investigación tiene como propósito realizar un estudio psicométrico de una escala del miedo al delito que parte de una perspectiva psicosocial. Para validar este modelo teórico se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y un análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC) con una muestra conformada por 298 estudiantes universitarios de la ciudad de Ambato, Ecuador, con un promedio de edad de 21.28 años (DT = 1.62). Los resultados muestran que la escala presenta índices de bondad de ajuste satisfactorios. Específicamente, se utilizaron dos modelos explicativos del miedo al delito, uno de primer orden y otro de segundo orden, siendo este último el que explicó mejor la estructura psicosocial del miedo al delito.