Depression among the incarcerated population: an integrative review

Abstract

This integrative review analyzed studies about depression among people imprisoned in the prison system. Bibliographic search was conducted on the PePSIC, PsycINFO, SciELO and Web of Science databases. Papers were selected following the PRISMA recommendations, and then extracted using the StArt software. The search strategy used the terms “inmate,” “prison,” “prisoner,” “penitentiary” and “depression,” The final sample included 10 primary studies that met the inclusion criteria and answered the research question. All selected articles indicated the occurrence of depression, assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory. Finally, early identification of depressive symptoms can minimize physical and mental harm in the incarcerated population.

Keywords:
prison system; prison inmate; prison; depression; health psychology