A Comparative Study Of Anxiety, Depression, Hope, And Psychological Well-Being Among Undertrial And Convicted Female Offenders

Abstract

This research investigates anxiety, depression, hope, and psychological well-being among Indian female undertrials and convicts. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional approach, females from three prisons were assessed using standardized psychological tools. Anxiety, defined as a state of heightened nervousness and worry, was higher among undertrials, possibly due to legal uncertainty and lack of closure. Interestingly, undertrials also portrayed a greater sense of hope, which is conceptualized as an orienting sense of possibility and drive towards accomplishing goals, despite present adversity. Depression, characterized by ongoing sadness and loss of interest or pleasure, was negatively correlated with both hope and psychological well-being, a multifaceted construct that includes self-acceptance, autonomy, purpose in life, personal growth, relations with others, and environmental mastery. Anxiety and depression were highly correlated, reinstating their comorbidity. Hope was positively correlated with autonomy and personal growth. The study underscores the psychological intricacies of prison life and demands interventions in the prison system to be gender-sensitive and trauma-informed.