The Effect of Time Spent in Prison and Coping Styles on Psychological Distress in Inmates

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-79
Author(s):  
Riley J. Luke ◽  
Michael Daffern ◽  
Jason L. Skues ◽  
Justin S. Trounson ◽  
Jeffrey E. Pfeifer ◽  
...  

Imprisonment can be an intensely stressful experience, and efforts to limit distress are critical to prevent adverse events such as suicide. This study examined whether time spent in prison predicted psychological distress in young adult and adult prisoners, and whether coping style moderated this relationship. While time spent in prison was not associated with distress, the use of avoidance coping was associated with higher levels of prisoner distress. Seeking social support was associated with lower levels of distress, but only for older adult prisoners. These results can be drawn upon to guide psychological treatments designed to lessen prisoner distress.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 2859
Author(s):  
M. Pilar Matud ◽  
Amelia Díaz ◽  
Juan Manuel Bethencourt ◽  
Ignacio Ibáñez

Emerging adulthood is a critical period of life that entails many life transitions in living arrangements, relationships, education and employment, which can generate stress and psychological distress in the emerging adult. The aim of the present study was to assess the relevance of stress, coping styles, self-esteem and perceived social support in the distress of emerging adult women and men. The sample consists of 4816 people (50% females) from the Spanish general population, ranging in age from 18 to 29 years old. All participants were assessed through questionnaires and scales that assess psychological distress, stress, coping styles, self-esteem and social support. Women scored higher than men in psychological distress, chronic stress, minor daily hassles, emotional coping style and social support, whereas men scored higher than women in rational and detachment coping styles and in self-esteem. Psychological distress was significantly predicted in women and men by high emotional coping style, lower self-esteem, high number of life events, and less social support. Another statistically significant predictor in men was less detachment coping style, whereas in women it was high chronic stress. The results of this research are relevant to healthcare professionals interested in improving the mental health of the emerging adult.


Author(s):  
Hui-yao Wang ◽  
Qian Xia ◽  
Zhen-zhen Xiong ◽  
Zhi-xiong Li ◽  
Wei-yi Xiang ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundAs the epidemic outbreak of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), general population may experience psychological distress. Evidence has suggested that negative coping styles may be related to subsequent mental illness. Therefore, we investigate the general population’s psychological distress and coping styles in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak.MethodsA cross-sectional battery of surveys was conducted from February 1-4, 2020. The Kessler 6 psychological distress scale, the simplified coping style questionnaire and a general information questionnaire were administered on-line to a convenience sample of 1599 in China. Spearman’s correlation was used to measure the correlations among category variables.ResultsGeneral population’s psychological distress were significant differences based on age, marriage, epidemic contact characteristics, concern with media reports, and perceived impacts of the epidemic outbreak (all p <0.001) except gender (p=0.316). Those with a history of visiting Wuhan and a history of epidemics occurring in the community, more concern with media reports, perceived more severe impacts and negative coping style had a higher level of psychological distress, which was significantly positively correlated with a history of visiting Wuhan (r=0.548, p<0.001), a history of epidemics occurring in the community (r=0.219, p<0.001), and concern with media reports (r=0.192, p<0.001). Coping styles were significantly different across all category variables (all p <0.001), and negatively correlated with other category variables (all p<0.01) except age and marriage. Psychological distress was significantly negatively correlated with the coping style (r=-0.573, p<0.01).ConclusionsIn the early stages of COVID-19, general population with epidemic contact characteristics, excessive concern with media reports, and perceived more severe impacts have higher levels of psychological distress. Psychological distress was significantly negatively correlated with the coping style. Interventions should be implemented early, especially for those population with a high level of psychological distress and/or with a negative coping style.


Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Zhe Liu ◽  
Malizia King

BACKGROUND: For family caregivers, sudden stroke events and heavy caring works are stressful events. At present, controversies about the factors affecting caregivers’ stress response and their correlation with coping styles still exist. OBJECTIVE: To explore the influencing factors and coping styles of mental health stress responses of stroke caregivers and promote caregivers to adopt positive coping styles for diseases and caring works. METHODS: The convenience sampling method is used to select stroke caregivers as the research objects. The general information questionnaires, Relative Stress Scale (RSS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) are utilized for investigation. RESULTS: 205 valid questionnaires are returned. Analysis suggests that the influential factors of mental health stress responses of stroke caregivers include the course of the disease, the impact of the disease on economic conditions, obligation to take care of other family members, understanding of stroke-associated diseases, and whether the patient is at risk. Social support and self-efficacy are negatively correlated with stress responses, while negative coping style is significantly positively correlated with stress responses. CONCLUSIONS: By increasing social support and self-efficacy, medical workers can guide stroke caregivers to take positive coping styles, thereby reducing their mental health stress responses.


1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail Shor-Posner ◽  
Daniel Feaster ◽  
Nancy T. Blaney ◽  
Hugo Rocca ◽  
Emilio Mantero-Atienza ◽  
...  

Objective: Inadequate vitamin B6 status has been associated with altered neuropsychiatric function, possibly through its effect on the metabolism of neurotransmitters, including serotonin (5-HT). The present eighteen month longitudinal study evaluated the relationship between vitamin B6 status and psychological distress in HIV-1 infected individuals, controlling for the influence of negative life events, social support and coping style. Method: Biochemical measurements of nutritional status, and dietary intake evaluations were obtained in HIV-1 seropositive homosexual men, (at baseline: CDC Stages II and III, n = 70; Stage IVA, IVC2 n = 18) at six month intervals. Alterations in nutrient status (e.g., vitamin B6 adequate to inadequate; inadequate to adequate), were compared with changes in psychological distress, measured by the Profile of Mood States, using a multiple regression analysis. Results: A significant decline in psychological distress was demonstrated with normalization of vitamin B6 status from inadequate to adequate status ( p < 0.02). A decrease in psychological distress was also observed with increased tryptophan intake in subjects who were vitamin B6 adequate ( p < 0.02). Conclusions: Significant effects for the nutritional variables remained even when negative life event stressors, social support, and coping style were controlled, suggesting that vitamin B6 status may be an important co-factor in determining level of psychological distress over time in HIV-1 infected individuals.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 773-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikyoung Kim ◽  
Yoonhyeung Choi

We examined the main effect of message appeal (emotional and logical) and coping style (monitors and blunters) and the interaction effect between the two on risk message processing outcomes. Participants were 74 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students who read news stories about tornadoes, then rated their risk message processing outcomes. Results showed that emotional appeals led to a higher risk perception, probability of risk occurrence, and more accurate recognition memory than did logical appeals. Further, we found significant interaction effects between message appeal and coping style on risk perception. When message appeals were emotional, monitors perceived a higher risk and probability of risk occurrence than did blunters; however, when message appeals were logical, this difference between monitors and blunters disappeared. The findings suggest that (a) emotional appeals should be included in risk communication and (b) coping styles should be considered in effective risk communication.


Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Qinghua Chen ◽  
Wenqing Zhao ◽  
Qun Li ◽  
Harnof Sagi

BACKGROUND: with the increase of study and life pressure, the number of depressed college students showed an increasing trend year by year, and the drug treatment alone could not achieve a comprehensive recovery of depression patients, so it was more necessary to pay attention to the spiritual treatment. OBJECTIVE: this research aimed to better understand the relationship between college students’ depression and life events, social support, psychological pressure, and coping style, and the influence of systematic family therapy on depression degree, psychological stress, and social adaptability of college students with depression. METHODS: in this study, 105 college students with depression were selected as the research object, and healthy college students were taken as the control group. Through questionnaire, the differences in life events, social support, psychological stress, and coping styles between the groups were compared. The correlation between the degree of depression and various variables were analyzed, and the impact path of each variable on depression was analyzed using the path analysis model. Depression patients were then divided into a conventional group treating with conventional medications and an observation group treating with systematic family interventions. Differences in Hamilton Depression Scale-17, (HAMD-17), CPSS, and Social Adaptive Functioning Evaluation (SAFE) scores were compared and analyzed between the two groups before treatment (T1), during the treatment (T2), and after treatment(T3). RESULTS: there were significant differences in scores of life events, social support, psychological stress, and coping styles between the healthy control group and the depressed patients (P <  0.05). There was an obvious correlation between different depression degrees and life events, social support, psychological stress, and coping styles (P <  0.05). Life events, social support, and psychological stress had a direct and significant impact on depression (0.250, 0.218, and 0.392; P <  0.05), and they also had an indirect and significant impact on depression through coping styles (P <  0.05). The systematic family treatment model could significantly reduce HAMD-17 and CPSS scores (P <  0.05), and significantly improve SAFE scores (P <  0.05). CONCLUSIONS: adverse life events, lack of social support, excessive psychological stress, and negative coping styles can aggravate college students’ depression. Systematic family therapy can improve the degree of depression, reduce the psychological stress, and enhance the social adaptability of college students with depression.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinghui Li ◽  
Xiaoyin Cong ◽  
Suzhen Chen ◽  
Yong Li

Abstract Background Insomnia appears to be one of the most frequent sleep complaints in the general population. It has significant negative impact on daily functioning. However, there has been little research that described the effect of coping style in insomnia disorder. Methods The Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) was used to evaluate 79 adult patients with insomnia disorder alongside 80 healthy controls. Additionally, sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90R) was utilized to determine the status of depression, anxiety and other psychological symptoms. Results Positive coping style score was significantly lower, whereas negative coping style score and nine symptomatic dimensions of SCL-90R were significantly higher in insomnia patients than in controls. Positive coping style score was adversely related to PSQI score, obsessive-compulsive, depression, anxiety and phobic anxiety, whereas negative coping style score was positively related to PSQI score, somatization and interpersonal sensitivity. Further multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that PSQI total score was independently and positively correlated with negative coping style score. Conclusions Insomniacs use more negative coping styles and less positive ones. Positive coping is adversely associated with insomnia symptoms and psychological distress, whereas negative coping is positively related to those symptoms. And negative coping has a negative effect on sleep quality. we should attach importance to coping styles of insomniacs in clinical practice, which may help to develop more targeted prevention and intervention strategies.


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