Adversity and Connectedness: Examining Social Support and Mental Health Among Incarcerated Lifers

• In Event: The Second Chances Study: A National Study of People Sentenced to JLWOP in the United States

Abstract

Individuals sentenced to life without parole for offenses committed as children (JLWOP) have reported high rates of trauma preceding incarceration. Prior research has found that exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with challenges to mental health and interpersonal relationships. Research also suggests that people sentenced to JLWOP demonstrate strong coping and capacity for resilience, despite early adversity and harsh carceral experiences. To date, most of this research is qualitative and focused on the post-release period, rather than the carceral period. Moreover, few studies quantitatively measured various types of trauma experiences, social supports, or mental health using standardized tools. To fill this gap, we surveyed incarcerated adults (n=~300) in 10 states who were sentenced to JLWOP prior to 2012 using standardized measures for adverse childhood experiences, perceptions of early family support, current social support and mental health, contact with people outside of prison, and psychological flexibility. Respondents were 31-58 years old, had spent an average of 24 years in prison, reported an average of six types of adverse experiences in childhood, variation in perceived social support, and fair-to-good mental health. Preliminary findings from our study will be shared, with implications for intervention related to policy and prison programming.

Authors

• Daphne M. Brydon, University of Cincinnati

• Jeffrey T. Ward, Temple University

• Dylan B. Jackson, Johns Hopkins University

• J.Z. Bennett, University of Cincinnati

• Leah Ouellet, Northwestern University

• Rebecca Turner, Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth

• Laura S. Abrams, University of California, Los Angeles