Psychiatric disorders prevalent in inmates

Psychiatric disorders are prevalent among inmates, and mental-health treatment could help former inmates reintegrate into society, U.S. researchers say.

Study co-author Jason Schnittker of the University of Pennsylvania, Michael Massoglia of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Christopher Uggen of the University of Minnesota said most common psychiatric disorders found among former inmates, including impulse control disorders, emerge in childhood and adolescence and, therefore, predate incarceration.

Yet, incarceration seems to lead to some mood related psychiatric disorders, such as major depression, which have important implications for what happens to inmates after their release, the researchers said.

The study authors used data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, which took place between 2001 and 2003.

The results, published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, revealed robust and long-lasting relationships between incarceration and psychiatric conditions that adversely affected one‘s mood, such as major depression.

“These conditions, in turn, are strongly related to other impairments, including a diminished capacity to form social relationships and to focus on daily activities including work,” Schnittker said in a statement. “Although often neglected as a consequence of incarceration, mood related conditions might explain some of the difficulties former inmates experience following release.”

In the study’s conclusion, the researchers suggested mental health treatment could help former inmates reintegrate into society and they encourage efforts to facilitate this.

“Even though many former inmates want to get back on their feet after release, they experience numerous difficulties in doing so, some legal, some social, and some personal,” Schnittker said. “Being depressed probably makes all of these obstacles even more difficult to overcome. Re-entry requires motivation, and depression can rob you of that.” (UPI)



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수감자에게 가장 흔한 병은?


미국 연구진은 수감자들은 정신질환을 흔히 앓는다는 연구 결과를 발표했다. 이들을 사회에 다시 적응시키기 위한 정신건강관련 교육이 필요한 것으로 보인다.

이들은 아동기나 청소년기에 이미 자제심장애와 같은 정신질환을 앓는 것으로 드러났다. 또한 수감생활은 우울증과 같은 정신질환을 심화시킨다. 이는 수감자들의 석방 후 삶에 영향을 미친다.

연구는 미국 병존질환조사(National Comorbidity Survey Replication)의 2001년~2003년 자료에 기반해 진행되었다.

연구진 중 한 명인 펜실베니아대학교(University of Pennsylvania) 소속 제이슨 슈니트커(Jason Schnittker)는 "수감자들은 석방 뒤에 사회에서 여러가지 어려움을 겪어요. 법적, 사회적, 개인적 문제들이 많이 있죠. 감옥생활으로 발병한 우울증과 같은 정신질환들은 사회 적응을 더 어렵게 하죠. 우리 연구는 석방자들을 위한 정신건강관리프로그램이 그들의 사회활동에 많은 도움이 되리라 결론 지었습니다."라고 전했다. (코리아헤럴드)