TTLA: Adapting the psychology of female inmates to serving fixed-term prison sentences in correctional facilities.

Author's name: Pham Thi Thuc Oanh

Thesis title: Adapting the psychology of female inmates to serving fixed-term prison sentences in correctional facilities.

Field of study of the thesis: Psychology

Major: Psychology Code: 62310401

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

1. Purpose and scope of the thesis

1.1. Research Objectives:

This study aims to identify the current state of psychological adaptation of female inmates to serving fixed-term prison sentences; the factors influencing the psychological adaptation of female inmates; and to propose solutions to improve the psychological adaptation of female inmates to fixed-term prison sentences, thereby making their imprisonment more effective.

1.2. Research subjects:

The manifestations and extent of female inmates' interaction with the provisional detention of prisoners in correctional facilities.

2. Research methods used

This thesis employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, including: document research, questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, statistical analysis, observation, and psychological profile analysis. The research sample consists of 555 female inmates serving fixed terms in CHAPT at three prisons in Northern Vietnam.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

- The results show that many female inmates have low psychological adaptation scores. The number of those with high adaptation scores is very small. This is evidenced by the fact that 90.1% of female inmates adapted below average, meaning they adapted to less than 50% of the requirements of serving their prison sentences.

ButRegarding cognitive adaptationThe majority of female inmates (85.0%) achieved a below-average level of adaptation, meaning they only met between 25% and less than 50% of the requirements; with higher levels of cognitive adaptation being awareness of labor activities. Thus, although they have made certain changes in their understanding towards accepting the regulations, these changes are not significant.

- Regarding emotional adaptation,Up to 63.1% of female inmates showed low levels of emotional adaptation, meaning they only met less than 25% of the requirements of serving their sentences. The results indicate that although female inmates felt more comfortable and emotionally balanced compared to their first day in prison, their performance remained mostly low. Among the various aspects, emotional adaptation was the area where the most inmates accepted and achieved emotional balance.

ButRegarding behavioral adaptation,79.2% of the total number of female inmates achieved a level of adaptation to less than 50% of the requirements set, and no female inmates achieved a low level of adaptation. Among them, female inmates performed well in meeting requirements regarding work days, labor quotas, and work tasks, with an average score > 0.6.

- The psychological adaptation components of female inmates showed a moderate to strong positive correlation. Specifically, cognitive and emotional adaptation were strongly correlated with overall adaptation (p < 0.01; r > 0.8), indicating that the lower the cognitive and emotional adaptation levels of female inmates, the lower their overall adaptation, and vice versa.

- When considering the factors influencing the psychological adaptation of female inmates, it was found that only factors related to the individual female inmates had the greatest influence on their psychological adaptation. Other factors such as misconceptions about the law (p = 0.013); beliefs (p = 0.001); and levels of depression and anxiety (p = 0.048 and p = 0.002) had a negative impact on psychological adaptation. In addition, family support (p = 0.019) and the length of time served in prison (p = 0.000) had a positive influence on the psychological adaptation of female inmates.

3.2. Conclusion

- The majority of female inmates adapt to less than 50% of the requirements of serving their prison sentences. This indicates that female inmates have a below-average level of psychological adaptation across all three aspects: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. Specifically, female inmates score higher on behavioral adaptation than on cognitive and emotional adaptation.

- The correlation between aspects of psychological adaptation occurs in a positive direction and with a degree of correlation ranging from moderate to strong, especially the correlation between cognitive adaptation, emotional adaptation, and overall psychological adaptation.

- The psychological adaptation of female inmates is influenced by various factors in both positive and negative ways. Female inmates who are aware of the consequences of their actions and have served more than one year in prison tend to adapt better psychologically. Conversely, female inmates who receive frequent family visits, have the belief that they will soon be released, and suffer from depression and anxiety disorders tend to adapt less psychologically than those without these characteristics.

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name: Pham Thi Thuc Oanh

Thesis title: Psychological adaptation of female offenders to execution term imprisonment at the prison

Scientific branch of the thesis: Psychology

Major: Psychology Code: 62310401

The name of postgraduate training institution: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Hanoi National University.

1. The purpose and the object of the thesis

1.1. Research purposes: Specify the status of Psychological adaptation (PA) of female offenders to execution term imprisonment (ETI) at the prison; The factors affecting the PA of female offenders; solutions proposed to improve the PA of female offenders to ETI at the prison; help ETI reach higher efficiency.

1.2. Research subjects: Expressing the level of PA of female offenders to ETI at the prison.

2. Research methods:

The thesis uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods including:

Methods of document research, Methods of the investigation by questionnaires, Methods of indepth interviews, Methods of data processing by mathematical statistics, Methods of observation, Methods of psychological portrait analysis. The research sample is 555 female offenders who are execution term imprisonment in 3 prisons in the North, Vietnam.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results:

- The results show that many female offenders have a psychological adaptation level at a low point. The number of people with high levels of adaptation is very small. This is reflected in the fact that 90.1% of female offenders adapt to a below average level, which is below 50% of the requirements of execution term imprisonment.

- In terms of awareness, the majority of female offenders (85.0%) reach the below-average adaptation level, ie, only between 25 and under 50% of the requirements set; in which cognitive adaptation is higher than awareness of labor activities. Thus, even though they have made certain changes in terms of awareness in terms of accepting the regulations, the change is not significant.

- In terms of emotions, up to 63.1% of female offenders were able to adapt to emotions at a low level, which only achieved less than 25% of the sentence requirements. The results show that although female prisoners were more comfortable, emotional balance compared to the first day in prison but still only reached the low level mainly. Emotional adaptation, among other things, is the content that many prisoners accept to do and balance emotionally better.

- In terms of behavior, there are 79.2% of female offenders reaching the level of adaptation to less than 50% of the requirements, no female offenders reach the low adaptation level. In particular, female offenders performed at a good level with respect to workday requirements, labor norms and labor operations with the average score > 0.6.

- The psychological adaptation components of female offenders are correlated pros from medium to strong. In particular, cognitive adaptation and emotional adaptation are strongly correlated with general adaptation (p < 0.01; r > 0.8) showing that female prisoners have lower levels of cognitive adaptation and emotional adaptation, lower general adaptation, and vice versa.

- Considering the prediction of factors affecting the psychological adaptation of female offenders, only the factors belonging to female offenders are the most influential to the psychological adaptation of female offenders. In particular, other factors such as misconceptions about the law (p = 0.013); beliefs (p = 0.001); The level of depression-anxiety (p = 0.048 and p = 0.002) has an impact, significantly affecting psychological adaptation. In addition, the family's concerns (p = 0.019), the time of serving the prison sentence (p = 0.000) positively affects the psychological adaptation of female prisoners.

3.2. Conclusion

- Most female offenders adapt to less than 50% of the requirements of serving imprisonment sentences. This suggests that female inmates have a sub-moderate level of psychological adaptation expressed in all three aspects of cognition, emotion, and behavior. In particular, female offenders have a higher level of behavioral adaptation scores than those of cognitive adaptation and emotional adaptation.

- The correlation between the aspects of psychological adaptation is correlated pros with the degree correlation from moderate to tight, especially the correlation between cognitive adaptation, emotional adaptation, and general psychology adaptation.

- The psychological adaptation of female offenders affected by many different factors in both directions is pros correlation and inverse correlation. Female offenders who are aware of the consequences of their behavior and have served more than one year in prison have better psychological adaptability. In contrast, female offenders who frequently visited by family and have faith will soon be released from prison, have depression-anxiety disorders have lower psychological adaptability than female prisoners without that characteristic.