Psychosocial Quality of Life and Its' Correlates in People Serving Prison Sentences in Penitentiary Institutions

Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2021 Apr;65(5):590-612. doi: 10.1177/0306624X20944685. Epub 2020 Jul 22.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to identify and analyze the determinants of prison inmates' psychosocial quality of life (PQol) as a positive and negative correlates. Three hundred ninety prison inmates were recruited from the correctional facilities administered by the Warsaw District Inspectorate of Prisons. Data were collected by means of the SQLQ, SOC-29, SWS, SPI/TPI, SIPR, COPE, GSES questionnaires and analyzed by means of SEM. The positive correlates for prison inmates' PQol are: sense of coherence, self-efficacy, intensity of religious attitude, social support, and trait curiosity. Among the strategies of coping with stress, only seeking social support for emotional reasons is a significant factor that directly predicts PQol. Substance use and planning play only a mediating role in PQol prediction. The negative correlate for inmates' PQol is trait depression. Contrary to predictions, anxiety is not a negative correlate-as noted above, it is associated with a positive score on PQol.

Keywords: determinants of quality of life; negative correlates for prison inmates’ qol; positive correlates for prison inmates’ qol; psychosocial quality of life; quality of life in prison.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Humans
  • Prisoners*
  • Prisons*
  • Quality of Life
  • Surveys and Questionnaires