Affiliation:
1. Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice College for Health, Community and Policy The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Texas USA
2. Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston Texas USA
3. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland USA
Abstract
AbstractThis study examined the association between experiencing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) before or during incarceration and several postrelease negative mental health consequences in a cohort of men recently released from prison. The goal of the study was to explicate the variety of mental health–related issues incurring a TBI has on one's ability to successfully reintegrate back into society following incarceration. Using data from the LoneStar Project, we used ordinary least squares regression and logistic regression to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms, stress, trauma flashbacks, and psychosis in a representative sample of men released from Texas prisons (N = 498) approximately 9 months post–prison release. Recently released men with a history of head injury exhibited higher levels of depression, B = 0.204, 95% CI [.071, .337]; stress, B = 0.266, 95% CI [.116, .416]; experiencing trauma‐related flashbacks, odds ratio (OR) = 2.950, 95% CI [1.740, 5.001]; and psychosis, OR = 3.093, 95% CI [1.601, 5.975], compared to their non–head‐injured counterparts. TBIs—whether sustained before or during incarceration—pose significant risks for adverse mental health outcomes, particularly for recently released individuals during the already challenging and strained period of reintegration.
Funder
National Institute of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Clinical Psychology