Search results

This study aims to determine the association between prison circumstances, perceived family support and sleep quality among male inmates at the Ibara prison, Ogun State.

It was a cross-sectional study of 300 male inmates interviewed with socio-demographic proforma and Pittsburgh sleep quality index.

While all respondents described the prison as being overcrowded, half of them used inappropriate sleeping materials daily and 41.4% decried a very noisy environment at night. Twenty-seven percent of the respondents described poor family support while 47.3% experienced poor sleep quality. Though nature of sleeping material and self-awareness of sleep problem were associated with poor sleep quality, no predictor of the latter was identified.

The study was conducted among males only because of the relative dominance of the male gender in the prison population. This makes analysis of gender difference impossible. Furthermore, sleep studies may be preferred over reports by some sleep experts.

Findings from this study may culminate in taking steps to improve the Nigerian prison conditions as well as the prisoner’s welfare.

Developing support group for relatives of inmates may be a focus of social intervention for these inmates. Also, inmates with good sleep quality are likely to partake effectively in the prison reformation programmes and may not self-medicate with sedatives.

This study provides a scholarly documentation of the state of Nigerian prisons; inmates’ perception of family support; prevalence and correlates of poor sleep quality among a group of male inmates.

This study aims to determine the prevalence of insomnia as well as its association with the quality of life of the inmates in a Nigerian prison. Prisoners are a disadvantaged group of people whose needs are often unmet. Many authors have focussed on investigating the prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity, as well as substance use among prisoners. However, sleep disorders, which can predispose or precipitate psychiatric disorders, have been largely neglected in research. The relationship between insomnia and quality of life (QoL) among the general population has been documented but similar investigations have yet to be conducted among the prisoner population.

This was a cross-sectional study with 300 male prisoners at the Ibara prison, Abeokuta, Nigeria who were not diagnosed with depressive, generalized anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorders. Each respondent was interviewed with a sociodemographic proforma, Insomnia module of the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry and the brief World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire.

About half of the respondents (45.7%) met diagnostic criteria for insomnia. A diagnosis of insomnia and some sleep-related variables were significantly associated with QoL.

All the possible correlates of insomnia could not be investigated. Further research should be conducted to identify more correlates and investigate the impact of insomnia on prisoners’ lives.

Improvement of prison climate (relationships in prison, safety and order, contact with the outside world, facilities, meaningful activities and autonomy) may mitigate insomnia among prisoners. Prison psychiatry in Nigerian correctional centres should be made a priority.

The findings have brought to light the need to address the current social welfare system in place for Nigerian correctional centres.

The study provided information on the prevalence of insomnia and poor QoL among prisoners in a Nigerian correctional facility.

This paper aims to examine the role of bullying victimization in predicting psychopathology, encompassing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), risk of developing prodromal psychosis and emotional and behavioural problems, among in-school Nigerian adolescents.

A total of 351 junior secondary students (n = 173 males, 178 females; age range: 9–17 years) were recruited from five randomly selected public secondary schools in Nigeria. Students completed a variety of self-report measures, including a socio-demographic questionnaire, the prodromal questionnaire – brief version, the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) and the multidimensional peer victimization scale. They were also interviewed using the PTSD module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Kid Version.

Although bullying victimization was not found to predict the presence of PTSD, it predicted the risk of developing prodromal psychosis. All SDQ subscales also held significant positive associations with bullying victimization. This indicates that higher levels of victimization are associated with increased behavioural and emotional difficulties among adolescents.

The study findings add support to whole system approaches involving relevant stakeholders in health, education, social and criminal justice sectors via protective policies to address the problems of bullying in schools.

The study contributes to evidence demonstrating a need for improved understanding regarding the role of exposure to bullying victimization in predicting various forms of psychopathology. Furthermore, there is specifically a need for research with this focus in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Nigerian education system.