Mental health, positive affectivity and wellbeing in prison: a comparative study between young and older prisoners.

OBJECTIVES: To explore sociodemographic, psychological and psychopathological characteristics, as well as to evaluate the behaviour in an inmate sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There is a total sample of 182 young and elderly inmates of the Madrid III Prison. The investigation has been carried out with a battery of self-report psychological questionnaires and objective measurements obtained through the prison files. Comparisons of means were made to see if there are significant differences between the two groups (young and elderly inmates) in the variables analysed. RESULTS: The analysis shows that there are no significant differences in wellbeing between young and elderly inmates. However, young people have higher levels of psychological distress, more presence of negative emotions and have a more maladjusted behaviour in prison (they consume more cannabis and have more disciplinary records). Older people better regulate their emotions, adopt better the perspectives of others, showing themselves to be friendlier. CONCLUSIONS: The elderly inmates in prison, compared with the youngest, have a better psychological adjustment, more internal resources and a better adaptation to the prison environment despite of no differences in related variables such as time in prison.

Salud mental, afectividad positiva y bienestar en prisión: un estudio comparativo entre jóvenes y mayores presos / Mental health, positive affectivity and wellbeing in prison: a comparative study between young and older prisoners

Objetivos: Explorar las características sociodemográficas, psicológicas y psicopatológicas, así como evaluar la conducta de una muestra de internos. Materiales y métodos: Se cuenta con una muestra total, entre jóvenes y mayores, de 182 internos del Centro Penitenciario Madrid III. La investigación se ha llevado a cabo con una batería de cuestionarios psicológicos de autoinforme y medidas objetivas obtenidas a través de los expedientes penitenciarios. Se realizaron comparaciones de las medias para ver si existen diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos (jóvenes y mayores) en las variables analizadas. Resultados: El análisis muestra que no existen diferencias significativas en los niveles de bienestar de jóvenes y mayores. Sin embargo, los jóvenes muestran grados más elevados de malestar psicológico, presentan más emociones negativas y una conducta más desadaptada en la prisión (consumen más cannabis y tienen más expedientes disciplinarios). Las personas mayores regulan mejor sus emociones, adoptan mejor las perspectivas de otros, mostrándose además más amables. Conclusiones: Las personas mayores que están en prisión, comparados con los más jóvenes, presentan un mejor ajuste psicológico, más recursos internos y un mejor nivel de adaptación al medio penitenciario, a pesar de no existir diferencias en variables asociadas como, por ejemplo, el tiempo en prisión

Objective: To explore socio-demographic, psychological and psychopathological characteristics, as well as to evaluate behaviour in a sample of inmates. Material and methods: A sample of 182 young and elderly inmates of the Madrid III Prison was used. The research was carried out with a battery of self-report psychological questionnaires and objective measurements obtained through the prison files. Comparisons of means were made to see if there are significant differences between the two groups (young and elderly inmates) in the variables analysed. Results: The analysis shows that there are no significant differences in wellbeing between young and elderly inmates. However, young people have higher levels of psychological distress, more presence of negative emotions and have a more maladjusted behaviour in prison (they consume more cannabis and have more disciplinary proceedings registered). Older people regulate their emotions better, adopt the perspectives of others more effectively and show themselves to be friendlier. Conclusions: The elderly inmates in prison, compared with the youngest ones, have better psychological adjustment, more internal resources and are better adapted to the prison environment despite there being no differences in related variables such as time in prison