The Effects of Stress, Support, and Coping on the Mental Health and Illness of Prisoners

• In Event: 598 - Section on Sociology of Mental Health Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 07. Stress and Coping

Abstract

This paper studies the interactions between positive mental health, depressive symptoms, stress levels, medical problems, social support, and coping mechanisms in the understudied population of prison inmates. Three hypothesis are tested: H1: Positive mental health scales (psychological well-being, social well-being, and hedonic well-being [i.e. happiness]), will decrease mental illness (i.e. depression), medical problems, and stress levels.
H2: Bad coping skills will decrease happiness, increase depression, lead to medical problems, and increase stress levels. Good coping skills, on the other hand, will increase happiness, decrease depression, prevent medical problems, and decrease stress levels. H3: If Lindquist’s study can be replicated, external support structures like being married and being a parent will decrease happiness and increase depression. They will also heighten stress levels. Results: Regarding H1, psychological well-being and happiness both decrease depression, medical problems, and stress levels. Surprisingly, social well-being increases depression, medical problems, and stress levels, while also having a moderately positive effect on happiness. For H2, bad coping was limited to a positive effect on depression. Good coping (or aspects of it) were significant for several different regressands. “Other” coping skills slightly decreased happiness, while social superior coping slightly increased depression and planning coping decreased depression. Good coping was also positively correlated with medical problems and stress levels. The results of H3 show that being married significantly increases levels of depression and stress, while being a parent increases happiness. SES had no significant impact.

Author

• Carolyn Robbins, Emory University