Work

Suicidal ideation in a United States jail: demographic and psychiatric correlates

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Suicidal behavior is a significant problem in United States jails. Suicidal ideation (SI) is an established precursor to suicidal behavior in incarcerated populations. No studies to date have examined the prevalence of SI or its correlates in a mixed gender U.S. jail sample. The purpose of the present study was to document rates of SI in a mixed gender jail sample and examine socio-demographic and psychiatric correlates. This study of 511 jail inmates found that approximately 16% of participants reported clinically significant SI upon incarceration. White participants, suicide attempters, and those with a psychiatric diagnosis history endorsed greater SI. Reported SI did not differ by sex and was not correlated with age. Clinically, results indicate that screening for SI in jail samples is necessary to identify high-risk individuals for intervention to prevent suicidal behavior.

Source: Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology

DOI: 10.1080/14789949.2016.1193886

Authors: Karen E. Schaefer, Christianne Esposito-Smythers, June P. Tangney

Institution: George Mason University

Language: English

Topic: Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse