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The Nexus of Trauma, Victimization, and Mental Health Disorders Among Incarcerated Adults in Spain

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Abstract

Victimization and exposure to trauma, commonly linked to co-occurring mental health disorders, are prevalent among prison populations. The purpose of this study is to shed light on the prevalence of various kinds of victimization and trauma exposure at distinct life stages (childhood, adulthood and during prison) among incarcerated persons in Spain. The research team surveyed a random sample of 453 male and female inmates, serving time in two Spanish prisons, to gather information on experiences of physical and sexual victimization in both childhood and adulthood along with the presence or absence of in-prison treatment for a mental health disorder(s). More than 80% of participants reported experiencing some kind of traumatic/shocking life event – and this was significantly higher for those receiving in-prison mental health treatment than their non-treated counterparts (96.3 versus 83.3%, respectively). Logistic regression analyses revealed that inmates who were receiving in-prison treatment for a mental health disorder reported significantly higher rates of both physical and sexual victimization in prison, prior to prison, and during childhood. The results of this study strongly suggest the importance of comprehensive and accurate identification of inmates’ traumatic, victimization, and mental health histories that necessitate treatment during incarceration. We discuss the implications of our study for correctional practice, policy and future research in order to reduce victimization in the Spanish Prison System.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminology, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, Murcia, Spain

    Francisco Caravaca Sánchez

  2. Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Espinado, E-30100, Murcia, Spain

    Javier Navarro Zaragoza

  3. School of Social Work, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, 63103, USA

    Noelle E. Fearn & Michael G. Vaughn

Authors
  1. Francisco Caravaca Sánchez
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  2. Javier Navarro Zaragoza
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  3. Noelle E. Fearn
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  4. Michael G. Vaughn
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Correspondence to Francisco Caravaca Sánchez.

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The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Caravaca Sánchez, F., Navarro Zaragoza, J., Fearn, N.E. et al. The Nexus of Trauma, Victimization, and Mental Health Disorders Among Incarcerated Adults in Spain. Psychiatr Q 88, 733–746 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-017-9493-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-017-9493-z

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