Stress as a Factor for Mental Health Professionals in Correctional Facilities (From Correctional Psychiatry, P 145-154, 1989, Richard Rosner and Ronnie B Harmon, eds. -- See NCJ-135571)

• NCJ Number: 135579
• Author(s): M H Bell
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: Plenum Press
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter identifies and discusses some of the factors that contribute to stress for mental health professionals who are working in correctional facilities.

Abstract

The information provided is based on the author's personal experience as a psychiatrist in correctional settings and a review of representative literature on mental health professionals in correctional settings. For a mental health professional who enters a prison for the first time, stress is occasioned by security procedures that suggest entrance into a dangerous world. Stress may also result from interaction with the inmates, who are typically resistant to treatment, manipulative, and from minority groups with whom the mental health professional may not have regularly interacted. Stress may also result from security demands in the correctional setting that conflict with treatment philosophies. The problem of confidentiality and other ethical issues can also cause stress for the professional. The effects of stress are fatigue, anger, depression, and a decline in physical and mental health. Stress can be mitigated by achieving more control over the environment in which one works. This comes with knowledge, experience, and confidence that one can handle the situations that arise. Also, working in more traditional settings outside the prison can help mitigate stress. 12 references