A coding system to interpret prisoners’ perceptions and attributions, associated with psychological distress and the type of crime

2026/03/31 by Karla Astudillo-Reyes, Ana Sanchez-Gomez, Ana I Sánchez-Gómez +4
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Mental Health via Writing #Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

paper · doi:10.1177/00208728261427719

crossref issued 2026/03/31 · crossref published 2026/03/31 · crossref published-online 2026/03/31 · openalex publication_date 2026/03/31 · crossref created 2026/03/31 · openalex created_date 2026/04/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21 · crossref published-print 2026/07/01 · crossref deposited 2026/07/31 · crossref indexed 2026/07/31

Abstract

This study proposes a reliable coding system to interpret the perceptions and attributions of the prison population and relate them to psychological distress and type of crime. A total of 281 men from the Granada Penitentiary Center participated and completed the Writing Processes Evaluation Battery free narrative test and the Symptom Checklist. The results show that personal perceptions and psychological distress vary according to the type of crime, which helps social workers and prison psychologists design tailored interventions that address prisoners’ emotional needs, promote rehabilitation, and reduce recidivism.

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