“They don’t know what else to do, so when they’re concerned about someone they remove them and lock them in isolation until they’re safe. That’s often counterproductive. It takes the inmates away from their support system,” he said.
Mental health professionals working in prison settings also could try to boost inmates’ sense of belongingness, perhaps by encouraging them to join one of the prosocial groups that exist in prisons. Staying in touch with friends and family by writing letters is another means of increasing belongingness. Perceived burdensomeness can be addressed through cognitive behavioral therapy aimed at helping inmates gain a more accurate picture of how much of a burden they are to others, Dr. Mandracchia added.
He is planning a longitudinal study to identify measures that predict actual future suicidal behavior among prison inmates, but acknowledged there are challenges to doing this work.
“When you start doing mental health research in prisons, you quickly realize that no one wants you there. Not the staff, not the inmates,” he said.
Dr. Mandracchia reported having no financial conflicts regarding this study, which was conducted free of commercial support.