Gender differences in sense of coherence, perceived social support, and negative emotions among drug-abstinent israeli inmates

Comparison of the effect of hostility on the level of depression of drug addicts and non-addicts and the mediating role of sense of life meaning between them

BACKGROUND

The level of depression among drug addicts is generally higher than normal. Hostility and sense of life meaning may influence depression and become risk factors for depression. This study has three research purposes. First, to analyze whether drug use can aggravate hostility and depression levels. Second, to assess whether the hostility has different effects on depression among drug addicts and non-addicts. Third, to examine whether the sense of life meaning has a mediating role between different groups (drug addicts and non-addicts).

METHODS

This study was conducted from March to June 2022. 415 drug addicts (233 males and 182 females) and 411 non-addicts (174 males and 237 females) were recruited in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. After signing informed consent, their psychometric data were obtained using the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (CMI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) questionnaires. Linear regression models were used to assess the impact of hostility and depression among drug addicts and non-addicts. Bootstrap mediation effect tests were used to further test the mediation effect of sense of life meaning between hostility and depression.

RESULTS

The results showed four main outcomes. First, compared with non-addicts, drug addicts had higher levels of depression. Second, hostility exacerbated depression in both drug addicts and non-addicts. Compared with non-addicts, hostile affect had a greater effect on depression in drug addicts. Third, the sense of life meaning among females was higher than males. Fourth, for drug addicts, the sense of life meaning showed a mediating effect between social aversion and depression, while for non-addicts, the sense of life meaning showed a mediating effect between cynicism and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression is more severe in drug addicts. More attention should be paid to the mental health of drug addicts, because the elimination of negative emotions is conducive to reintegration into society. Our results provide a theoretical basis for reducing depression among drug addicts and non-addicts. As a protective factor, we can reduce their hostility and depression by improving the sense of life meaning.

Sense of Coherence and Self-Rated Aggression of Adolescents during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic, with a Focus on the Effects of Animal Assisted Activities

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extreme deviations from everyday life. The aim of this study was to investigate how these deviations affected adolescents' sense of coherence and their level of aggression, and whether this was influenced by their relationship with animals, especially horses. In two random samples of students from vocational schools in Hungary, taken in June 2018 and June 2020 (n1 = 525, n2 = 412), separate groups were drawn from those who had regularly engaged in equine-assisted activities (ES) and those who had not (OS) before the pandemic. Data were collected using an anonymous, paper-based questionnaire, and during the pandemic an online version of the Sense of Coherence (SOC13) and Bryant-Smith (B12) scales. During the pandemic, boys' sense of coherence weakened and their aggressiveness increased. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that, regardless of gender and age group, increased time spent using the internet (p < 0.001), a lack of classmates (p = 0.017), reduced time spent outdoors (p = 0.026) and reduced physical activity (p < 0.038) during the pandemic significantly increased the tendency for aggressive behavior, whereas being with a horse or pet was beneficial (p < 0.001). The changes imposed by the curfew were rated as bad by 90% of the pupils, however, those with a strong sense of coherence felt less negatively about them. Schools should place a great emphasis on strengthening the students' sense of coherence.

Availability of informal social support and the impact on health services utilization among women in community corrections who engage in substance use and risky sexual behavior: New York City, 2009-2012

BACKGROUND

Women under community supervision in the U.S. experience high rates of substance use and HIV/STDs and face multiple barriers to healthcare services. Informal social support, provided by family, friends, and other peers, is important for reducing drug and sexual risk behaviors and improving utilization of healthcare services. The availability of informal social support and the impact on receipt of healthcare services among the growing and highly vulnerable population of sexually-active and drug- and justice-involved women has not been documented. Among this population, this study aims to: 1) describe characteristics of informal social support, including the prevalence of different types, size of networks, and frequency of receiving support; and 2) longitudinally examine the impact of informal social support on receipt of healthcare services, including drug or alcohol counseling/treatment, HIV or STD counseling/education, birth control counseling/education, reproductive healthcare, and individual counseling over a 12-month period.

RESULTS

The sample included 306 women in community supervision programs in New York, New York, USA, with a recent history of substance use and risky sexual behavior. At baseline, 96.1% of women reported having at least one friend or family member with whom they could discuss personal or emotional problems, 92.5% had support for tangible aid or service, 83.0% had support for sexual risk reduction, and 80.0% had support for substance use risk reduction. Women with support for substance use risk reduction were more likely than women without this type of support to receive all health services analyzed in this study. Having support for sexual risk reduction was also positively associated will receipt of all services, except reproductive healthcare. Having support for personal or emotional problems was only associated with receiving drug or alcohol counseling or treatment, while having support for tangible aid or service did not impact receipt of any health services.

CONCLUSIONS

Engagement of sexually-active and drug- and justice-involved women in health services should address the availability and strengthening of informal social support, particularly ensuring individuals' informal networks allow for discussions on the harms of risky sexual and drug use behaviors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01784809 . Registered 6 February 2013 - Retrospectively registered.

Situational Social Support and Relapse: An Exploration of Compulsory Drug Abuse Treatment Effect in China

The present study explores situational social support of drug abusers during compulsory rehabilitation and provides a preliminary estimation of relationship between social support and relapse. Links between social support and relapse are examined in a study of drug abusers accepting coercive detoxification and rehabilitation treatment, and self-reported relapse in the following 6 months ( N = 535). External and internal social support with abstinence-specific support inclusive are investigated. With certain demographic variables and risk-related variables controlled, greater special type of external social support (as measured by number of children) predicts a lower risk of relapse, which means better effect of compulsory rehabilitation. Participation into some of the institutional programs and experienced personal conflicts for abstinence show no statistically significant with relapse risk.

Association of social support with gratitude and sense of coherence in Japanese young women: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Recent studies have shown that perceived social support is associated with gratitude and sense of coherence, but evidence for this concept remains scarce. In the present study, we investigated relationships between social support, gratitude, and sense of coherence, focusing on the construct of and source of social support among young women.

METHODS

The study was conducted in 2014 in Japan. Participants comprised 208 female university students (aged 19.9 ± 1.1 years), who completed a self-administered anonymous questionnaire regarding perceived social support, gratitude, and sense of coherence.

RESULTS

Emotional and instrumental social support from acquaintances were found to be lower than those from family and friends. Gratitude was positively correlated with all forms of social support except instrumental social support from acquaintances. However, sense of coherence was positively correlated with both emotional and instrumental social support from family and only emotional social support from acquaintances. Multiple regression analysis showed that emotional support from family and emotional support from acquaintances were positively associated with gratitude whereas emotional support from family was associated with sense of coherence.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that emotional social support from family was related to both gratitude and sense of coherence.

What can be done to improve outcomes for prisoners with a dual diagnosis?

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on offenders with a dual diagnosis and discuss how prison-based services can improve to better meet the needs of prisoners with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health disorders.

Design/methodology/approach

– A comprehensive literature search of PsycINFO, JSTOR, PubMed and Google Scholar, reviewing international studies on dual diagnosis amongst offender and community samples spanning the last three decades, supplemented by international policy, guidance papers and reports was conducted to explore how services can be improved.

Findings

– It was found that research into dual diagnosis amongst prisoners internationally was scarce. However, from the evidence available, several consistent factors emerged that led to the following recommendations: integrated treatment needs to be coordinated and holistic, staged and gender-responsive; increased availability of “low level”, flexible interventions; transitional support and continuity of care upon release with the utilisation of peer mentors; comprehensive assessments in conducive settings; mandatory dual diagnosis training for staff; and increased funding for female/gender-responsive services.

Practical implications

– The recommendations can inform commissioners, funders and service providers of areas where support must be improved to address the needs of prisoners with a dual diagnosis.

Social implications

– Improved outcomes for prisoners with a dual diagnosis would likely have a positive effect on society, with improvements in mental health and substance misuse treatment impacting on rates of reoffending.

Originality/value

– This paper brings originality and value to the sector because it reviews relevant research on dual diagnosis and translates it into practical implications for policy makers.

Emotional distress and sense of coherence in women completing a motivational program in five countries. A prospective study

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to investigate changes in, and associations between, sense of coherence (SOC) and emotional distress in women who participated in an accredited motivational program (VINN) in correctional institutions in five countries.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A prospective study with a pre- and post-test design included 316 participants from Sweden, Estonia, Denmark, Russia and Norway. Global emotional distress was measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. SOC was measured using the 13-item Orientation to Life Questionnaire. One-way analysis of variance and multilevel regression models were used in the statistical analyses.

FINDINGS

An increase in SOC was associated with a decrease in emotional distress. Emotional distress decreased significantly -3.80 points (95 percent CI (-4.61, -2.97)), and SOC significantly improved from pre- to post-measurement by 1.82 points (95 percent CI (0.72, 2.92)), regardless of country and correctional institution. Practical implications - The results add new knowledge regarding a coherent theoretical foundation of a motivational program for women. The ability of a program promoting health is important for researchers, health-care workers and facilitators delivering programs for women in correctional facilities. An increase in SOC can act as a protective factor in order to manage stressors and risk factors among women serving in correctional facilities.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The present study indicates that enhancing women's coping resources and providing income alternatives to crime is fundamental to their capacity to desist from criminal behavior.

Indicators of social capital in prison: a systematic review

Background

Social capital theory encapsulates multidisciplinary principles and is measured across numerous social entities. However, there is a paucity of literature exploring the benefits of social capital for sentenced prisoners.

Methods

A qualitative systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA Guidelines. Eight databases were searched; thirty-one articles met the inclusion criteria.

Results

Social capital was found to exist across a number of themes/dimensions for sentenced prisoners. The benefits gained were sometimes gender-specific and differed between social capital available in prison and that provided externally.

Conclusion

Social capital is a valuable resource among prisoners and has the capacity to improve quality of life outcomes. Further research exploring the causality of social capital and improved outcomes among prisoners is needed.

Social support network characteristics of incarcerated women with co-occurring major depressive and substance use disorders

The nature of social support available to incarcerated women is not well-understood, particularly among women at high risk of negative outcomes, including women dually diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and a Substance Use Disorder (MDD-SUD). Descriptive statistics and paired-tests were conducted on 60 incarcerated MDD-SUD women receiving in-prison substance use and depression treatments to characterize the women's social networks, including the strength of support, network characteristics, and types of support provided as well as to determine what aspects of social support may be amenable to change during incarceration and post-release. Study results showed that, on average, women perceived they had moderately supportive individuals in their lives, although more than a quarter of the sample could not identify any regular supporters in their network at baseline. During incarceration, women's social networks significantly increased in general supportiveness, and decreased in network size and percentage of substance users in their networks. Participants maintained positive social support gains post-release in most areas while also significantly increasing the size of their support network post-release. Findings suggest that there are aspects of incarcerated MDD-SUD women's social networks that are amenable to change during incarceration and post-release and provide insight into treatment targets for this vulnerable population.

Effects of family-centered empowerment model based education program on quality of life in methamphetamine users and their families

BACKGROUND

Nowadays there are more concerns about drug treatment of methamphetamine abusers whereas quality of life (QOL) related supportive psychotherapy is less credited.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of family-centered empowerment model on social support and QOL of methamphetamine users and their families.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study was a randomized clinical trial; individuals were randomly allocated to three groups: a group for educating methamphetamine users in recovery (95 subjects), a group for educating a family member of methamphetamine users in recovery (95 subjects) and a control group (95 subjects). Data collecting instruments were standard questionnaires of social support and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Data were analyzed using χ2-test, t-test, paired t-test, Pearson's correlation and ANOVA.

RESULTS

Mean scores of QOL and social support dimensions changed significantly in two intervention groups (P < 0.0001), but didn't change in the control group (P > 0.05). Also, there was a positive significant relation (P < 0.05) between total social support and all dimensions of QOL for all study groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Family-centered empowerment model, easily adapted to methamphetamine users and their families, leads to improved social supports and QOL.

Perceived stress, external locus of control, and social support as predictors of psychological adjustment among female inmates with or without a history of sexual abuse

Given the growing number of women who are incarcerated across the United States, the current study investigated the relationships among female inmates' perceptions of their own stress, external locus of control (LOC), social support adequacy, and various aspects of psychological functioning. Generally, female inmates with a self-reported history of childhood sexual abuse did not differ from their nonabused counterparts on the variables of interest. Results suggested that female inmates' perceptions of higher stress, a higher degree of external LOC, and inadequate social support correlated with greater symptoms of depression and hopelessness as well as lower self-esteem. In regression analyses, stress and social support were significant predictors for depression and anxiety. In contrast, stress was the only significant predictor of hopelessness and self-esteem. Finally, none of the predictors examined here was significant in the prediction of traumatic stress. Overall, findings suggested the importance of stress and social support in the prediction of female inmates' adjustment, specifically their symptoms of depression and anxiety.