Psychological phenomenon linked to depression, anxiety, and stress in inmates of the “San Sebastián” Male Penitentiary Center

Abstract

The goal of this research is to determine the psychological phenomena related to depression, anxiety and stress in the inmates of the “San Sebastián” Penitentiary Center. The population consisted of inmates in pretrial detention and the sample was selected through a qualitative sampling process of voluntary participants, which consisted of 50 inmates in pretrial detention The study used a mixed research approach with a non­experimental, cross­sectional, descriptive, and correlational design. The instruments used were: Dass­21 and an indepth qualitative interview of life history type with its own design. In sum, it was possible to determine the psychological phenomena linked to depression, anxiety, and stress due to the incarceration process. The study shows how the inmate’s emotional sphere is affected due to the degree of vulnerability experienced as a consequence of excessive violence. Added to the overcrowding and the omission of their rights and guarantees, the inmates in many cases are unable to adapt to their incarceration. In this sense, the research shows how due to the high level of aggressiveness in the environment, symptoms of depression increase with respect to previous symptoms. In the same way, previously existing symptoms of anxiety as well as symptoms of stress are aggravated in prison. The study finds that as one variable grows, the others grow. Consequently, the sample manifests some type of depression, anxiety, and stress.