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Different yet similar? Prisoners versus psychiatric patients – A comparison of their mental health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

S. Otte ,
N. Vasic ,
S. Nigel ,
J. Streb ,
T. Ross ,
C. Spitzer ,
H.J. Grabe  and
M. Dudeck
S. Otte*
Affiliation:
Department of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy, university of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
N. Vasic
Affiliation:
Department of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy, university of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
S. Nigel
Affiliation:
Department of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy, university of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
J. Streb
Affiliation:
Department of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy, university of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
T. Ross
Affiliation:
Department of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy, centre for psychiatry Reichenau, Reichenau, Germany
C. Spitzer
Affiliation:
Asklepios hospital Tiefenbrunn, Rosdorf, Germany
H.J. Grabe
Affiliation:
Department of psychiatry and psychotherapy, university of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
M. Dudeck
Affiliation:
Department of forensic psychiatry and psychotherapy, university of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
*
* Corresponding author. Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Strasse 2, 89312 Günzburg, Germany. E-mail address:stefanie.otte@bkh-guenzburg.de (S. Otte).
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Abstract

Background:

Previous research indicates that prisoners have severe psychological distress. To assess their distress level and potential need for treatment, the present study compared the subjective psychological distress of long- and short-term prisoners with that of psychiatric and forensic patients.

Methods:

Long- (n = 98) and short-term prisoners (n = 94) and forensic (n = 102) and psychiatric (n = 199) patients completed the German versions of the Symptom Checklist Revised (SCL-90-R) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI).

Results:

In general, long-term prisoners showed the same level of mental distress as psychiatric patients and more than that reported by forensic patients. Short-term prisoners reported the least level of distress. Long- but not short-term prisoners showed clinically significant results on the scales for depression, paranoid ideation, and psychosis.

Conclusions:

The improvements in psychiatric treatment for inmates demanded by many stakeholders need to differentiate between long- and short-term prisoners. Because depression seems to cause the most psychological distress among inmates, suicide prevention seems to be an important issue in prisons.

Keywords

PrisonersForensic psychiatryPsychological distress
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 44 , July 2017 , pp. 97 - 103
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017

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