Dissociative Experiences and Psychopathology Among Italian and Portuguese Inmates

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 60(1),1-18. DOI: 10.1177/0306624X15617256

Posted: 15 Jul 2017

See all articles by Giulio Zavattini

Giulio Zavattini

Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychol

Carlo Garofalo

Tilburg University

Patrizia Velotti

Università degli Studi di Genova

Marco Tommasi

Università degli Studi Genoa

Roberta Romanelli

Independent

Helena Espirito Santo

Instituto Superior Miguel Torga; Universidade de Coimbra - Centro de Investigação do Núcleo de Estudos e Intervenção Cognitivo- Comportamental

Aristide Saggino

Independent

Date Written: July 8, 2017

Abstract

The association between dissociation and psychopathological symptoms is well established, yet studies with inmates are lacking. If higher rates of dissociation and psychiatric symptoms are reported in inmate samples, it is not clear whether they represent two separate, albeit related, characteristics. We examined the association between dissociation and psychopathological symptoms among 320 Italian subjects (122 inmates and 198 community participants) and a Portuguese inmate sample (n = 67). Then, we tested whether dissociation and psychopathology levels were higher among inmates. Both hypotheses were supported, confirming the relevance of dissociative, paranoid, and psychotic symptoms among inmates, as well as their interrelations. Notably, the group difference in dissociation remained significant after partialing out the variance associated with other psychopathological symptoms. Conversely, only the difference in paranoid symptoms remained — marginally — significant when controlling for the influence of dissociation. This finding suggests that dissociation may have unique relevance for the psychological functioning of inmates. 

Keywords: dissociation, psychopathological symptom, inmates

Suggested Citation

Zavattini, Giulio and Garofalo, Carlo and Velotti, Patrizia and Tommasi, Marco and Romanelli, Roberta and Espirito Santo, Helena and Saggino, Aristide, Dissociative Experiences and Psychopathology Among Italian and Portuguese Inmates (July 8, 2017). International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 60(1),1-18. DOI: 10.1177/0306624X15617256, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2999086

Giulio Zavattini

Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychol ( email )

Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5
Rome, 00185
Italy

Carlo Garofalo (Contact Author)

Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Patrizia Velotti

Università degli Studi di Genova ( email )

Via Vivaldi 5
Genova, 16126
Italy

Marco Tommasi

Università degli Studi Genoa ( email )

Via Vivaldi 5
Genova, 16126
Italy

Roberta Romanelli

Independent ( email )

Helena Espirito Santo

Instituto Superior Miguel Torga ( email )

Largo da Cruz de Celas nº1
Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-132
Portugal
239404608 (Phone)

Universidade de Coimbra - Centro de Investigação do Núcleo de Estudos e Intervenção Cognitivo- Comportamental ( email )

Portugal

Aristide Saggino

Independent ( email )

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