[Social problem-solving and suicidality in prisoners]

Introduction: Based on international studies, the risk of suicidality is higher in prisons than in the general population, which can have serious consequences for both the individuals concerned and the prison community. Low levels of problem-solving skills had been shown as a major risk factor for suicidal behaviour, along with depression and hopelessness. Objective: The aim of our study is to assess the social problem-solving skills by the Means End Problem Solving Inventory in a sample of incarcerated people as well as to examine the association of these skills with suicide risk factors in order to establish future intervention possibilities. Method: In our multicentre cross-sectional questionnaire study, we recruited prisoners (n = 363) from four prisons and, for comparison, we recruited volunteers (n = 234) from the general population by online convenience sampling. For comparative studies, we created a matched sample by gender and age (nprisoner = 174, ncontrol = 174). An independent samples t-test was used for the comparative analysis, and Cohen’s d-test was used to measure the effect size of differences. Pearson’s correlation was used to test the association of problem-solving skills with suicidal risk variables (suicidal ideation, depression, hopelessness, perceived stress, impulsivity, subjective well-being). Tests applied: Means End Problem Solving Test; Hopelessness Scale – short version; Paykel Suicide Scale; Beck Depression Inventory – short version; Perceived Stress Scale; Abbreviated Barratt Impulsivity Scale; WHO Well-Being Index-5 item – Hungarian version. Results: The prison sample has significantly worse mental health indicators of suicide risk than the matched control group. The findings show that the prison population has more serious level of depression, more intense suicidal ideation, higher level of perceived stress and impulsivity as well as lower level of social problem-solving skills and psychological well-being. There was no significant relationship between the frequency of suicidal ideation and the level of problem-solving skills neither on the matched sample (n = 174), nor on the full incarcerated sample (n = 363). However, the frequency of suicide thoughts, hopelessness, depression, the level of perceived stress and impulsivity showed moderately positive significant relationship on the full incarcerated sample. Conclusion: Based on our results, it seems that in order to reduce suicide vulnerability, hopelessness, perceived stress and impulsivity among incarcerated people mindfulness interventions might be more effective than problem-solving training. Orv Hetil. 2024; 165(39): 1529–1538.