Depression and coping mechanisms in prisoners

In an attempt to identify the number, nature, and effectiveness of coping mechanisms used by long-term prisoners to cope with stress, a sample of inmates was administered scales measuring depression, coping strategies, and sensation-seeking. It was found that the prisoners' depression scores were very high, placing several inmates into the category of severe clinical depression. However, the number of coping mechanisms used by prisoners to deal with a stressful situation was not reflected by the depression scores. Extensive use of coping mechanisms was, if anything, associated with an increased level of depression. The expected relationship between sensation-seeking and proneness to depression in prison failed to emerge.