SCREENING FOR PTSD AMONG INCARCERATED MEN: A Comparative Analysis of Computer-Administered and Orally Administered Modalities.

Trauma exposure is overrepresented in incarcerated male populations and is linked to psychiatric morbidity, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study tests the feasibility, reliability, and validity of using computer-administered interviewing (CAI) versus orally administered interviewing (OAI) to screen for PTSD among incarcerated men. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to randomly assign 592 incarcerated men to screening modality. Findings indicate that computer screening was feasible. Compared with OAI, CAI produced equally reliable screening information on PTSD symptoms, with test-retest intraclass correlations for the PTSD Checklist (PCL) total score ranging from .774 to .817, and the Clinician-Administered PTSD scale and PCL scores were significantly correlated for OAI and CAI. These findings indicate that data on PTSD symptoms can be reliably and validly obtained from CAI technology, increasing the efficiency by which incarcerated populations can be screened for PTSD, and those at risk can be identified for treatment.

Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder among incarcerated men.

Trauma exposure and trauma-related symptoms are prevalent among incarcerated men, suggesting a need for behavioral health intervention. A random sample of adult males (N = 592) residing in a single high-security prison were screened for trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Trauma was a universal experience among incarcerated men. Rates of current PTSD symptoms and lifetime PTSD were significantly higher (30 to 60 %) than rates found in the general male populations (3 to 6 %). Lifetime rates of trauma and PTSD were associated with psychiatric disorders. This study suggests the need for a gender-sensitive response to trauma among incarcerated men with modification for comorbid mental disorders and type of trauma exposure. Developing gender-sensitive trauma interventions for incarcerated men and testing them is necessary to improve the behavioral health outcomes of incarcerated men who disproportionately return to urban communities.

Prevalence and correlates of criminal victimization among new admissions to outpatient mental health services in Hawaii.

Adults with serious mental illness (SMI) experience criminal victimization at rates higher than the general population whether they reside in the community or correctional settings. This study examines the past-six month prevalence and correlates of criminal victimization among a large community sample (N = 2,209) of consumers with SMI newly admitted to outpatient mental health services during 2005 through 2008. A cross-sectional design was used with self-report and clinical data collected from administrative records. Victimization was determined by responses to direct questions about experiences in the previous 6 months with respect to victimization of a non-violent and/or violent crime. Socio-demographic, clinical and criminal correlates of victimization were abstracted from a quality of life survey and clinical assessment interview conducted at admission. Overall, 25.4 % of consumers reported being a victim of any crime (violent or non-violent) in the past 6 months, with 20.3 % reporting non-violent and 12.3 % violent victimization. The risk of victimization was elevated for those who were female, White, not taking atypical psychotropic medication, not feeling safe in their living arrangement, and were arrested or homeless in the six-months prior to engaging in mental health outpatient treatment. Policy and practice implications of these findings are discussed.

Reducing the Methodological Heterogeneity ("Noise") in the Literature Predicting In-Prison Interpersonal Harm in Male Populations.

Interpersonal harm is a preventable public health problem. A growing body of literature shows persistently elevated exposure rates to physical and sexual victimization during incarceration. Yet how to prevent interpersonal harm during incarceration has proven far more elusive. A public health approach to prevention offers promise. To develop effective prevention strategies, the public health approach begins with defining and measuring the problem, followed by identifying risk and protective factors for the problem. The dynamic literature on in-prison interpersonal harm includes both parts of the public health approach but theoretical and methodological "noise" in this literature limits its instrumental utility to build effective prevention strategies. Herein, we critically review this evidence base (15 peer-reviewed articles published since 2000 with samples of 1,000+) to isolate the noise and the substance. We, then, minimize the methodological noise by testing for risk factors using self-report data that is representative of an entire U.S. state prison system for men and best data collection practices. Multilevel logistic regression is used to predict four types of interpersonal harm using theoretically grounded individual and prison-level covariates that are supported by the empirical literature. We conclude with recommendations for building an evidence base from which to develop prevention strategies that would create and sustain custodial conditions for people to be safe and healthy while incarcerated.

Validation and measurement invariance of the childhood trauma questionnaire short form among incarcerated men and women in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Childhood trauma is highly prevalent among incarcerated individuals and contributes to a range of negative outcomes. Assessing traumatic childhood events in prison settings requires valid, reliable, and effective instruments. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study evaluated the performance of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form (CTQ-SF), originally developed and validated in English, within a sample of incarcerated men and women (n = 1118 and n = 207, respectively) in six Spanish prisons. RESULTS: The results indicated that the CTQ-SF had an acceptable fit in our sample. However, the internal consistency of the Physical Neglect subscale was found to be deficient (α = 0.57), especially among women (α = 0.43). This finding aligns with previous research across different contexts, which may signal weaknesses in the original construction of this subscale. The CTQ-SF demonstrated limited invariance between men and women, with only configural invariance being achieved, constraining the comparisons that can be made across sexes. In the absence of scalar invariance, comparisons of factor means to assess severity may be misleading, and caution is recommended when comparing prevalence estimates for men and women in Spanish prisons. Nonetheless, our findings support the convergent validity of the CTQ-SF, as trauma severity showed moderate correlations with depression, anxiety, stress, and aggression. CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the importance of evaluating the performance of instruments across various cultural contexts and populations to ensure the validity of study conclusions.

The Prevalence of Prison-based Physical and Sexual Victimization in Males and Females: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review investigated the prevalence of prison-based interpersonal harm by type of victimization (physical and sexual) and sex, along with the heterogeneity among studies using meta-regression. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and the Meta-Analysis guidelines, 24 articles met the selection criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Joana Briggs Institute (20.8% deemed low quality, 33.3% moderate, and 45.9% high). Searches were conducted in Criminal Justice Abstracts, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. The 24 articles comprised 36 separate samples inclusive of 23,967 incarcerated individuals. The random-effects pooled prevalence estimate of prison-based physical victimization was 18.8%, with slightly higher rates for females (20.3%) than males (18.1%). For sexual victimization, the pooled prevalence estimate was 12.4%, with higher rates among females (15.3%) than males (9.7%). For females, younger individuals reported higher rates of physical and sexual victimization and studies using smaller samples had higher rates of physical victimization. Rates of physical and sexual victimization for men were higher if perpetrators included residents and staff, the recall period was since admission, data was collected using self-administered surveys, and in low-quality studies (sexual victimization only). Rates of prison-based interpersonal harm, while high, varied significantly by type of victimization, sex, and study methodology. High heterogeneity will be reduced only if future studies adhere to best methodological practices in defining and collecting data on interpersonal harm and consistently test risk and prevention factors instrumental to prevention efforts. Study limitations include the exclusion of unpublished and non-English-language studies, small sample sizes for female studies, and methodological "noise" within the literature that reduce predictive precision.

Patterns of Childhood Adversities and Their Associations With Adult Victimization Among Incarcerated Men and Women in Spanish Prisons.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent and have long lasting effects. There is evidence of gender differences in exposure to different types of ACEs, with women experiencing higher levels of sexual abuse and cumulative adversity than men. Despite this, most research examining patterns of adversities have used joint samples, assuming that men and women have comparable profiles. The current study examines if distinct profiles of childhood adversities exist for men and women and analyzes their associations with multiple forms of interpersonal victimization during adulthood. Participants were 2,709 residents (91.6% men and 8.4% women) from eight prisons in Spain, who completed a self-administered survey. Latent Class Analysis revealed different patterns of childhood adversities for men and women. For both groups, higher adversity was associated with interpersonal harm during adulthood.

Reentry Preparedness among Soon-to-be-Released Inmates and the Role of Time Served.

PURPOSE: While reentry funding is flowing into states, its target efficiency and effectiveness depends on whether it goes to the right people in the right ways. The purpose of this study was to examine whether and how the amount of time incarcerated affects reentry readiness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted. Approximately 4000 soon-to-be-released male inmates were drawn from a state correctional system. Readiness is described in terms of feeling ready and material, social, and treatment resources available for reentry by time served on current conviction (episode effect) and since age 18 (cumulative effect). Generalized hierarchical linear models were used to estimate the effects of demographic, criminological, and time served variables on reentry readiness outcomes. RESULTS: Reentry vulnerability increased with time served since turning 18 (cumulative effect) but not with time served on the current conviction (episode effect). Inmates serving more than 10 years since turning 18 were at greatest reentry risk. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that inmates who have served more prison time over their lifetime have more pronounced needs and risks suggesting that reentry funding be targeted towards those who have served more time over the course of their lifetime.

Childhood Abuse Classes for Incarcerated Men and Women: Are There Unique Gender Patterns in Abuse Classes?

Childhood adversity is predictive of poorer health and behavioral health outcomes in adulthood. Males and females are known to experience different types of childhood adversity, with females experiencing more sexual and emotional harm in childhood. Latent class analysis (LCA) has been used to identify patterns among types of childhood adversity. These studies have constructed class structures using single gender or blended gender samples. Class structures based on blended gender samples, however, may misrepresent the nuances of gender-specific adversity histories through averaging, potentially distorting the relative need for gender-specific types of intervention. This study investigated whether latent class structures of childhood abuse are equivalent for incarcerated males and females. Our sample included 4,204 residents (3,986 males, 218 females) drawn from a single prison system. Residents completed an hour-long audio computer-assisted self-interview that included questions on 10 types of childhood abuse, depression, and anxiety symptoms, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M). Overall, female residents were both more likely to experience childhood abuse and have more extensive victimization experiences. Small subgroups of males, however, had even more extensive victimization experiences. Abuse patterns for males and females, while optimally clustering in four classes, are rather unique, especially for higher abuse classes, in terms of distribution of membership and types of abuse. These differences may matter in terms of identifying the relative need for therapeutic intervention among incarcerated males and females and targeting those interventions in ways that reflect the gradient and density of therapeutic need. The next step is to test whether using blended or gendered latent class structures matters in terms of predicting outcomes, such as prison-based behavioral health problems, suicidality, and victimization.

Latent class analysis of self-reported substance use during incarceration: Gender differences and associations with emotional distress and aggressiveness.

INTRODUCTION: We know little about the prevalence and patterns of substance use during incarceration, and we know even less about comparative substance use patterns by gender. To address these gaps in the literature, this study used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify substance use subgroups of incarcerated men (n = 1118) and women (n = 207). METHODS: The study drew data from six prisons in Spain. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire with items probing for types of drugs used in the past three months, depression, anxiety, stress symptoms, aggressiveness, and perceived social support. RESULTS: Substance use was common among incarcerated men and women, with tobacco, cannabis, and sedatives being most prevalent. LCA revealed different patterns of substance use by gender. Four- and two-class solutions best fitted the data for men and women, respectively. Aggressiveness and depression were associated with high depressant use membership for men. Among women, aggressiveness and anxiety symptoms were positively associated with high polydrug use membership. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalent and patterned use of substances inside Spanish prisons and their association with aggressiveness and depression elevates the risk of harm during incarceration. In the interest of safety and wellness, correctional behavioral health services should include and expand the availability of gender-specific integrated mental health and substance use interventions that address maladaptive behaviors such as aggression.

Violence Against Incarcerated Women: Predicting Risk Through the Lens of Childhood Harm.

Victimization is common inside prisons and much remains unknown about the predictors of violence against incarcerated women. A sample of 564 incarcerated women was used to examine the link between in-prison victimization, childhood (physical, sexual, and emotional) harm, and mental illness. Nearly half or more of women reported childhood harm and over one-quarter experienced in-prison victimization. Childhood harm fell into four latent classes and low sexual abuse and high abuse classes predicted resident-on-resident sexual victimization, as did single types of childhood harm. Current depressive symptoms and perceptions of overcrowding predicted physical and sexual victimization perpetrated by residents and correctional staff.

Mental health courts and their selection processes: modeling variation for consistency.

Admission into mental health courts is based on a complicated and often variable decision-making process that involves multiple parties representing different expertise and interests. To the extent that eligibility criteria of mental health courts are more suggestive than deterministic, selection bias can be expected. Very little research has focused on the selection processes underpinning problem-solving courts even though such processes may dominate the performance of these interventions. This article describes a qualitative study designed to deconstruct the selection and admission processes of mental health courts. In this article, we describe a multi-stage, complex process for screening and admitting clients into mental health courts. The selection filtering model that is described has three eligibility screening stages: initial, assessment, and evaluation. The results of this study suggest that clients selected by mental health courts are shaped by the formal and informal selection criteria, as well as by the local treatment system.

Understanding Polyvictimization in Prison: Prevalence and Predictors Among Men Inmates in Spain.

Victimization-physical, sexual, and emotional-is part of prison life for a sizable proportion of incarcerated people. Research has primarily focused on the prevalence and predictors of physical or sexual victimization inside prisons located in the United States. Very little prison-based victimization research has been conducted in other countries, and even less has examined the clustering patterns of victimization (referred to as polyvictimization), and whether different demographic, behavioral health, and criminal risk factors are associated with polyvictimization. This article explores variation in victimization patterns during incarceration in Spain, and whether there is variation in the demographic, behavioral, and criminal risk factors predicting one type (physical, sexual, or emotional); two types (physical and sexual, physical and emotional, or sexual and emotional); or three types (physical, sexual, and emotional), as well as the number of different types of victimization distinguished by type of perpetrator. Self-report data were collected from 2,484 male inmates housed in eight adult prisons in Spain. More than half the sample reported at least one type of victimization, and one quarter reported two or more types of victimization. Polyvictimization was found to be strongly associated with prior childhood and adulthood victimization experienced in the community. These findings have significant policy and practice implications.

Feelings of safety inside prison among male inmates with different victimization experiences.

Correctional facilities have a responsibility to take "reasonable measures" to preserve and protect inmate safety. The extent to which people inside prison feel safe from victimization is explored using a sample of approximately 7,000 adult male inmates housed in 13 prisons. The majority of male inmates reported no victimization in the past 6 months and that they felt safe, especially from sexual abuse and assault. Levels of feeling safe diminished for inmates who experienced victimization. Inmate perceptions of safety varied between facilities. Variation in perceptions of safety among harmful situations and between facilities provides useful information about inmate safety and ways to improve it (n = 104).

Patterns of victimization among male and female inmates: evidence of an enduring legacy.

People inside prison have above-average rates of childhood and adult victimization. Little is known, however, about the relationship between types of victimization inside prison and that experienced in childhood. This article estimates rates of victimization for male and female inmates by type of perpetrator and form of victimization (sexual, physical, either, or both) and their association with types of childhood victimization (sexual or physical). Data for these estimates are based on a random sample of approximately 7,500 inmates housed in 12 adult male prisons and one adult female prison in a single state. The significance of the findings for practice are discussed along with recommendations to improve the health and welfare of people inside prison.

Caregiver burden and health in bipolar disorder: a cluster analytic approach.

To identify caregivers at risk for adverse health effects associated with caregiving, the stress, coping, health and service use of 500 primary caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder were assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 months. K-means cluster analysis and ANOVA identified and characterized groups with differing baseline stress/coping profiles. Mixed effects models examined the effects of cluster, time, and covariates on health outcomes. Three groups were identified. Burdened caregivers had higher burden and avoidance coping levels, and lower mastery and social support than effective and stigmatized caregivers; stigmatized caregivers reported the highest perceived stigma (p < 0.05). Effective and stigmatized groups had better health outcomes and less service use than the burdened group over time; stigmatized caregivers had poorer self-care than effective caregivers. Cluster analysis is a promising method for identifying subgroups of caregivers with different stress and coping profiles associated with different health-related outcomes.

Measuring victimization inside prisons: questioning the questions.

Violence and victimization inside the prison setting are accepted as facts, although the facts about their prevalence remain uncertain. Variation in the methods used to estimate rates of sexual and physical victimization contribute to the wide range in estimates appearing in the prison literature. This article focuses on the questions used in the prison victimization literature to elicit information on victimization from inmates, compared to questions used in the general victimization literature. The questions used in the National Violence Against Women and Men Surveys are used to estimate sexual and physical victimization rates for an entire prison system. Rates of victimization were found to vary significantly by specificity of the question, definition of perpetrator, and clustering of behaviors. Facts about victimization inside prison will become more certain when the methodology becomes more standardized and consistent with definitions of victimization.

Physical victimization in prison: the role of mental illness.

This study compares prison physical victimization rates (inmate-on-inmate and staff-on-inmate) for people with mental disorder to those without mental disorder in a state prison system. Inmate subjects were drawn from 14 adult prisons operated by a single mid-Atlantic State. A sample of 7,528 subjects aged 18 or older (7,221 men and 564 women) completed an audio-computer administered survey instrument. Mental disorder was based on self-reported mental health treatment ever for particular mental disorders. Approximately one-quarter of the sample reported some prior treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, or anxiety disorder. Rates of physical victimization for males with any mental disorder were 1.6 times (inmate-on-inmate) and 1.2 times (staff-on-inmate) higher than that of males with no mental disorder. Female inmates with mental disorder were 1.7 times more likely to report being physically victimized by another inmate than did their counterparts with no mental disorder. Overall, both males and females with mental disorder are disproportionately represented among victims of physical violence inside prison.

Rates of sexual victimization in prison for inmates with and without mental disorders.

OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the rates of sexual victimization among prison inmates with and without a mental disorder. METHODS: The study sampled inmates aged 18 or older in 13 prisons within a single mid-Atlantic state prison system (12 facilities for men and one for women). A total of 7,528 inmates completed the survey instrument, which was administered by audio-computer-assisted technology. Of the 6,964 male respondents, 58.5% were African American, 16.2% were non-Hispanic white, 19.8% were Hispanic, and 5.5% were of another race or ethnicity. Of the 564 female respondents, 48.4% were African American, 30.9% were non-Hispanic white, 14.4% were Hispanic, and 7.3% were of another race or ethnicity. Mental disorder was based on self-reported previous mental health treatment for particular mental disorders. Sexual victimization was measured by using questions adapted from the National Violence Against Women and Men surveys. RESULTS: Approximately one in 12 male inmates with a mental disorder reported at least one incident of sexual victimization by another inmate over a six-month period, compared with one in 33 male inmates without a mental disorder. Among those with a mental disorder, sexual victimization was three times as high among female inmates (23.4%) as among male inmates (8.3%). African-American and Hispanic inmates with a mental disorder, independent of gender, reported higher rates of sexual victimization than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Prisons are hazardous places. Steps must be taken to protect inmates from predators inside prison, to screen them for posttraumatic stress disorder, to provide trauma-related treatment, and to keep them safe.

Drug-related arrests in a cohort of public mental health service recipients.

OBJECTIVES: The excessive prevalence of comorbid substance abuse among persons with severe mental illness has been well established and identified as the source of numerous negative outcomes. An overlooked aspect of illicit drug use in this population is its illegality and the potentially dire criminal sanctions. This study examined the prevalence of drug arrests in a cohort of persons receiving services from a state mental health agency who were followed for roughly ten years. METHODS: Data on arrest spanning from 1991 to 2000 were obtained for all individuals receiving inpatient, case management, or residential services from July 1991 to June 1992 (N=13,816). Reports of prevalence were based on the number with at least one drug-related arrest in the observation period. RESULTS: Five percent of individuals in the cohort experienced at least one drug-related arrest (N=720). These included simple possession as well as manufacturing and distribution. The prevalence was much higher (15%) among persons aged 18 to 25 years than in other age groups. Roughly 95% of persons with a drug arrest also had an arrest for another type of offense. This pattern is similar to that observed among persons with a drug-related arrest in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Convictions on drug charges can void access to Section Eight housing and other benefits and are associated with other patterns of offending that also carry significant criminal sanctions. State mental health agencies may wish to target interventions toward youthful clientele by focusing specifically on the risks associated with involvement with illicit drugs.