Citation

Dehart DD, Smith HP, Kaminski RJ. J. Correct. Health Care 2009; 15(2): 129-141.

Affiliation

Center for Child and Family Studies, College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, National Commission on Correctional Health Care (USA), Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1078345809331444

PMID

19477817

Abstract

To date, little research has systematically investigated perceptions of mental health professionals regarding motivations for self-injury among prison inmates. To help fill this gap, the authors used descriptive techniques to examine self-injurious behavior among inmates from the perspective of correctional mental health professionals. A quantitative survey assessed perceptions of mental health staff regarding etiology, motivations, and manifestations of self-injury. A qualitative interview component was used to explicate responses from the survey. Inmate cutting, scratching, opening old wounds, and inserting objects were the most commonly witnessed behaviors. Findings suggest that self-injury occurred regularly and that a subset of inmates are responsible for recurrent events. Mental health professionals perceived the motivation for inmate self-injury to be both manipulative and a coping mechanism. They described current management strategies and corresponding needs for training and resources.

Language: en