Mental health and associated factors among young offenders in Chile: a cross‐sectional study

Background

Few studies in Latin America have explored mental disorder among young offenders, or variables associated with it.

Aims

Our aim was to test for associations between childhood adversity or substance misuse and psychiatric disorders among young offenders.

Methods

Sentenced adolescent offenders were recruited from young offenders' institutions or community centres provided by the Chilean National Service for Minors. Psychiatric disorders were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, conducted by trained psychologists. A trained sociologist used an ad hoc interview to collect information about childhood experiences, including parenting, trauma, education and substance misuse. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to analyse data.

Results

The most prevalent psychiatric disorders among the 935 participants were marijuana dependence disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders. Substance use disorders were less frequent among young offenders who were serving their sentence in young offenders' institutions than among those serving in community centres and more frequent among those who started to use marijuana at an earlier age. Among other variables, childhood maltreatment was related to major depressive disorder, and maternal death to anxiety disorders. Higher educational status was related to a lower frequency of depressive and anxiety disorders.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that greater efforts must be made to identify vulnerable young people much earlier. Few of these young offenders with mental health problems had been well adjusted in health, education or socially before this period of detention. © 2017 The Authors. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Effcacy of Williams LifeSkills Training in improving psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders: a randomized controlled study

This randomized controlled study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Williams LifeSkills Training (WLST) as a means of improving the psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders. Sixty-six participants were assigned randomly to receive the usual intervention plus 8 weeks of WLST (study group, n = 33) or only the usual intervention (control group, n = 33). We found that the study group exhibited significantly decreased State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X-1, X-2) STAX2 scores and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire (TCSQ) negative scores, and increased Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) tangible scores from baseline to 9 weeks later (P <0.01). In addition, a between-group difference in changes of TCSQ negative score was observed at the end of week 9 (P <0.05). These fndings suggest that WLST can improve trait anxiety, coping style, and interpersonal support in male Chinese juvenile violent offenders.     

Efficacy of Williams LifeSkills Training in improving psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders:a randomized controlled study

This randomized controlled study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Williams Life Skills Training(WLST) as a means ofimproving the psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders.Sixty-six participants were assigned randomly to receive the usual intervention plus 8 weeks of WLST(study group,n = 33) or only the usual intervention(control group,n = 33). We found that the study group exhibited significantly decreased State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI X-1,X-2) STAX2 scores and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire(TCSQ) negative scores,and increased Interpersonal Support Evaluation List(ISEL) tangible scores from baseline to 9 weeks later(P 0.01). In addition,a between-group difference in changes of TCSQ negative score was observed at the end of week 9(P 0.05). These fi ndings suggest that WLST can improve trait anxiety,coping style,and interpersonal support in male Chinese juvenile violent offenders.     

Admitters and deniers among adolescent sex offenders and their families: a preliminary study

In a comparison of five adolescent male sexual offenders who denied the charges prior to treatment and five who admitted to them, substantial differences emerged between the groups in terms of family organization. In addition, parental nurturance and adolescent self-esteem were found to be positively correlated, as were lack of clarity and consistency in communication by parents and mixed messages to the children about deviant and nondeviant sexuality.     

Health status of juvenile offenders. A survey of young offenders appearing before the juvenile courts

This paper reports on the health needs of a sample of juvenile offenders appearing before a Manchester Court during the month of August 1992. Of the 192 subjects interviewed (74% of those listed), 19% had significant medical problems, 42% a history of substance abuse and 7% psychiatric problems requiring further treatment. Substantial numbers (26%) engaged in a variety of dangerous behaviours. Custodial remands were common (21%), particularly in those with multiple psychosocial difficulties.     

Mental health problems and service use among female juvenile offenders: their relationship to criminal history

OBJECTIVE: To describe (1) the level of mental health problems and lifetime use of specialty mental health services and special education programs among incarcerated female juvenile offenders and (2) how these indices relate to their criminal history. METHOD: Between 1997 and 1998, fifty-four female youths incarcerated in California were interviewed on-site using standardized self-report measures of depression and anxiety symptoms and substance use problems. RESULTS: Eighty percent of the youths had symptoms of an emotional disorder or substance use problem, and almost two thirds (63%) had a history of recidivism. Of those with emotional symptoms or a substance use problem, 51% had used specialty mental health services and 58% had been in a special education program during their lifetime. In addition, among recidivistic youths, 82% had a history of a substance use problem and 47% had used specialty mental health services during their lifetime. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of female juvenile offenders merit a mental health evaluation. Interventions for these high-risk youths should include an assessment for substance use disorders because of the association of recidivism and substance use problems in this population.     

Unemployment and mental health among young people: a longitudinal study

In a longitudinal study, a representative sample of nearly 2000 young people (17-20 years) was followed up in 1985, 1987 and 1989. The Central Bureau of Statistics in Norway was responsible for the collection of data. The results showed that unemployment had a weak but significant impact upon mental health problems. Active job seeking did not seem to moderate the mental health problems experienced by the unemployed. Social support and contact with close friends had a moderating effect upon nervous symptoms in women but not in men. Unemployed men who were especially involved in illegal activity showed increased nervous symptoms during unemployment.     

Explaining social class differences in psychological health among young adults: a longitudinal perspective

Summary The relationship between psychological health and occupational class was investigated in the large British sample of 23-year-old subjects from the 1958 birth cohort study. Odds of poor psychological health [indicated by (1) the Malaise Inventory and (2) seeking help for a psychological problem between ages 16 and 23] were significantly greater in classes IV and V than in classes I and II: odds ratios were (1) 3.90 and 5.84, (2) 2.32 and 2.33 for men and women, respectively. Explanations for these differences were examined using longitudinal data representing inheritance at birth, socio-economic background, educational achievement, earlier health and behaviour. The analyses suggested that each of these contributes to class differences in psychological health. Behaviour at age 16 (identified from the Rutter Behaviour Scale) was particularly notable for both psychological measures, as were educational achievement (for Malaise) and unemployment (for psychological morbidity needing specialist help). Mechanisms by which such factors might operate are discussed. Having accounted for earlier circumstances, class differences were no longer significant, except for Malaise in women. In this case an odds ratio of more than twofold remained after adjusting for earlier circumstances.     

Psychosocial characteristics of young violent offenders: a comparative study

When young people commit violent crimes such as homicide, the act is sometimes attributed to poorly controlled anger, rage or paranoid symptomatology. To test this assertion, we hypothesised that young men incarcerated for murder would show more anger, hostility and paranoid ideation, as well as increased levels of global psychopathology, than a cohort of non-violent offenders and normal high school students. These predictions were not supported. Young murderers were indistinguishable from the two control groups on the MMPI-A, the State-Trait Anger Scale, and the SCL-90-R. Moreover, they showed no evidence of increased anger, paranoid features or global psychopathology relative to standardisation samples. Rather than being differentiated by personality characteristics, the data suggest that a history of gang membership and violent behaviour do a better job of discriminating between these groups. Copyright © 1996 Whurr Publishers Ltd.     

Suicide among personality-disordered offenders: a follow-up study of 1943 male criminal offenders

Suicide mortality among all male criminal offenders in Sweden who had been subjected to a major forensic psychiatric examination 1988–1991 (n=1943) was studied, with special reference to offenders with personality disorders. The cohort was followed until the end of 1995. Altogether 135 individuals (6.9%) died during the follow-up period; the mode of death was suicide in 50 individuals (2.6%). The unadjusted suicide mortality ranged from 2.8% among those with personality disorders to 6.1% among those with drug-related psychosis. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) among personality-disordered offenders was 1212, i.e. around 12 times that of the general population. Survival analyses by means of Cox regression models were performed to identify background factors associated with completed suicide. No specific principal diagnosis showed significantly increased risk for completed suicide. However, concomitant depression and drug abuse were significantly linked to suicide. Violent crime showed no association. Among personality-disordered offenders suicide methods did not differ from those of suicide victims in the general population. There was no association between violent index criminality or between life-time violent criminality and choice of a violent suicide method.     

A review of mood disorders among juvenile offenders

OBJECTIVES: This article provides an overview of what is known about the prevalence, diagnosis, and effective treatment of mood disorders among youths, particularly among juvenile offenders, and discusses the unique problems that arise for the delivery of treatment services. The relationship between mood disorders and disruptive or delinquent behaviors as well as the particular importance of proper diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders in this population are discussed. METHODS: A search was conducted of the MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases for articles that had been published since 1980 on mood disorders in the juvenile offender population as well as articles on adolescent mood disorders. RESULTS: The studies on the prevalence of mood disorders among juvenile offenders varied significantly in the methodology used and in the rates of prevalence found, although all studies showed that this population had high rates of mood disorders. The identification and effective treatment of mood disorders is critical because these disorders are a leading cause of suicide among adolescents and because mood disorders may contribute to or exacerbate delinquent and disruptive behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile detainees have a constitutional right to needed mental health treatment. More comprehensive mental health services are required to ensure that juvenile offenders with mental illness are identified and cared for appropriately. Doing so not only will alleviate painful symptoms but may also contribute significantly to improvements in psychosocial functioning, interpersonal relations, and school performance and to decreases in delinquent, disruptive, and suicidal behaviors.     

Psychopathy and violent recidivism among young criminal offenders

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive validity of psychopathic personality traits (assessed with the revised psychopathy checklist, PCL-R; Hare, 1991) for violent criminal recidivism among young offenders. METHOD: The relationship between PCL-R psychopathy and violent re-offending was studied in 98 young (M=18.40, range 15-20 years) violent and sex offenders subjected to forensic psychiatric evaluation in Sweden during 1988-95. Subjects were followed during detainment and for 24 months in the community to first reconviction for a violent offence. RESULTS: We found a modest but significant association between PCL-R scores and violent recidivism, almost exclusively accounted for by behavioural criteria. Among 13 possible confounders tested, conduct disorder before age 15 and a young age at first conviction eliminated the relationship between psychopathy and violent recidivism in pair-wise logistic regression models. CONCLUSION: PCL-R psychopathy may be a less valid predictor for violent criminal recidivism among severe youthful offenders than among adult offenders.     

Affective disorder in juvenile offenders: A preliminary study

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to determine the prevalence of major mental disorders and substance abuse in adolescents admitted to a juvenile detention center. METHOD: As part of a routine mental health screening, modules from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children were administered to 50 youths (11-17 years old) at an urban juvenile detention center. RESULTS: A high rate of affective disorder (42%) was found among these adolescents: 10 (20%) met criteria for mania, another 10 met criteria for major depressive disorder, and one met criteria for bipolar disorder, mixed type. Thirty (60%) met criteria for conduct disorder, and very high rates of alcohol, marijuana, and other substance dependence were found. There was a strong association between affective disorder and conduct disorder; adolescents with mania had much higher rates of reported abuse of substances other than alcohol or marijuana. CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile offenders have high rates of affective disorder. Further studies are needed to examine the relationship of affective disorder to substance abuse as well as to antisocial behavior.     

Schooling while incarcerated as a turning point for serious juvenile and young adult offenders

IntroductionAttending school and working are consistently associated with positive outcomes for juvenile offenders returning to the community.MethodsUsing longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance Study, we used structural equation modeling to test whether better school experiences while incarcerated was positively connected to adjustment upon release among serious juvenile offenders (91% male) in the U.S. Adjustment was assessed as attending school for 310 legal minors (<18 years), and engaging in work for 259 emerging adults (≥18 years), as well as self-reported delinquency for all participants.ResultsAccounting for incarceration and school history, results showed that facility school attachment, but not grades, was associated with decreased delinquency 12 months after release across sex in both age groups. Additionally, facility school attachment predicted engagement in school for returning minors. However, facility school experience was not related to engaging in work for returning emerging adults.ConclusionsResults indicate that facility school climate matters for all juvenile offenders returning to their communities and that correctional education done right presents an important opportunity to reconnect returning minors with school, an important normative context of development. Conversely, results suggest that returning offenders who have ‘aged out’ of high school are a separate vulnerable group who may need additional support for successful reentry.     

新入监服刑人员心理健康和自尊状况关系研究

目的探讨新入监服刑人员的心理健康状况及其与自尊水平之间的关系。方法使用症状自评量表(SCL-90)和Rosenberg自尊量表(RSES)对100名新入监服刑人员的心理健康状况及自尊水平进行调查,并分析其相关性。结果新入监服刑人员的SCL-90总分、总均分、阳性项目数及躯体化、强迫、抑郁、焦虑、恐怖、偏执、精神病性因子分的得分上均显著高于全国常模(P<0.05或P<0.01),主要心理问题表现为抑郁、强迫、焦虑等方面,而且性别、年龄、犯罪类型、刑期对心理健康状况有影响。RSES总分与SCL-90总分及强迫、人际关系敏感、抑郁、焦虑、敌对、恐怖因子分均呈显著负相关,自尊是SCL-90总分和多个因子分的显著预测变量(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论新入监服刑人员的心理健康状况存在明显的异常,自尊水平越低的人员心理健康状况越差,自尊对心理健康状况具有显著负向预测作用。在对新入监服刑人员进行心理干预时,需要重视自尊因素。