Aggression,Impulsivity, Personality Traits,and Childhood Trauma of Prisoners with Substance Abuse and Addiction |
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Authors: | Chiara Cuomo Marco Sarchiapone Massimo Di Giannantonio Michele Mancini Alec Roy |
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Institution: | 1. University of Molise, Department of Health Sciences, Loc. Tappino, Campobasso, Italy;2. D'Annunzio University, Faculty of Psychology, Chieti, Italy;3. MAPPsi, Firenze, Italy;4. New Jersey VA Healthcare System, Psychiatry Service, East Orange, New Jersey, USA |
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Abstract: | Introduction: The aim of our study is then to analyze psychological and judicial features of a subgroup of inmates with substance abuse. Methods: Prisoners with substance abuse (n = 312) were compared to prisoners without substance abuse (n = 591). Recruited inmates completed a semistructured interview for collection of sociodemographic and judicial data and a battery of psychometric tests for assessement of aggression, impulsivity, depression, personality traits, hostility, resilience, and childhood trauma. Results: Substance abusers had on average multiple incarcerations (78.8%), more juvenile convictions (60.2%), more violent behaviors during detention (29.8%), and a history of one or more suicide attempts (20.8%). They also had higher scores on subscales for childhood trauma, higher scores for psychoticism and neuroticism, higher impulsivity levels, worse resilience, increased hostility, and prevalent suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Prisoners with substance abuse constitute a subgroup with increased judiciary and psychiatric issues, possibly due to early life history and psychological characteristics, such as high impulsivity and aggressiveness, poor resilience, and higher suicidal risk. |
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Keywords: | Addiction aggression childhood trauma impulsivity prisoners resilience substance abuse suicide |
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