Table 2.
Comparisons between suicidal intent and psychological distress measures in new inmates at risk of suicide.
| Pre-COVID-19 | Post-COVID-19 | Test Statistic | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaauw+ (n = 726) |
SUAS+ (n = 85) |
Blaauw+ (n = 621) |
SUAS+ (n = 13) |
Blaauw+ | SUAS+ | |||
| M ± SD | M ± SD | M ± SD | M ± SD | U | p | U | p | |
| Suicide Assessment Scale | ||||||||
| Sadness | 2.08 ± 0.86 | 3.01 ± 0.75 | 1.61 ± 0.76 | 2.15 ± 1.07 | 156,528 | 0.000 | 285.0 | 0.002 |
| Hostility | 1.59 ± 0.80 | 2.29 ± 1.00 | 1.58 ± 0.87 | 2.62 ± 1.45 | 218,368 | 0.257 | 622.5 | 0.447 |
| Anxiety | 2.15 ± 0.84 | 3.18 ± 0.54 | 1.92 ± 0.83 | 2.85 ± 0.80 | 191,289 | 0.000 | 431.5 | 0.113 |
| Low Self-esteem | 1.39 ± 0.70 | 2.40 ± 0.98 | 1.20 ± 0.48 | 1.85 ± 0.90 | 197,051 | 0.000 | 384.0 | 0.065 |
| Hopelessness | 1.45 ± 0.74 | 2.59 ± 0.86 | 1.24 ± 0.52 | 1.85 ± 1.07 | 202,424 | 0.000 | 325.5 | 0.012 |
| Tot. Affectivity | 8.62 ± 2.77 | 3.47 ± 2.09 | 7.55 ± 1.90 | 11.31 ± 2.56 | 178,832 | 0.000 | 231.5 | 0.001 |
| Resourcefulness | 1.38 ± 0.71 | 2.59 ± 0.82 | 1.41 ± 0.67 | 2.62 ± 0.87 | 235,195 | 0.083 | 577.5 | 0.776 |
| Perceived loss of control | 1.45 ± 0.74 | 2.73 ± 0.81 | 1.29 ± 0.56 | 2.38 ± 0.77 | 205,220 | 0.000 | 426.0 | 0.141 |
| Impulsivity | 1.53 ± 0.82 | 2.24 ± 1.11 | 1.72 ± 0.90 | 3.00 ± 1.22 | 251,883 | 0.000 | 748.5 | 0.034 |
| Poor frustration tolerance | 1.81 ± 0.92 | 3.14 ± 0.64 | 1.67 ± 0.96 | 3.77 ± 1.17 | 203,355 | 0.001 | 781.0 | 0.005 |
| Tot. Control and coping | 6.16 ± 2.59 | 10.69 ± 2.11 | 6.09 ± 2.31 | 11.77 ± 1.74 | 229,661 | 0.538 | 733.5 | 0.055 |
| Hypersensitivity | 1.68 ± 0.83 | 2.64 ± 0.87 | 1.45 ± 0.73 | 3.15 ± 0.80 | 190,279 | 0.000 | 751.0 | 0.024 |
| Emotional withdrawal | 1.53 ± 0.79 | 2.76 ± 0.96 | 1.28 ± 0.62 | 2.62 ± 1.39 | 186,420 | 0.000 | 540.0 | 0.891 |
| Inability to feel emotions | 1.04 ± 0.42 | 1.11 ± 0.51 | 1.02 ± 0.21 | 1.38 ± 1.12 | 224,699 | 0.657 | 612.0 | 0.134 |
| Tot. Emotional Reactivity | 4.25 ± 1.56 | 6.51 ± 1.62 | 3.74 ± 1.22 | 7.15 ± 2.48 | 187,082 | 0.000 | 650.5 | 0.294 |
| Anergia | 1.49 ± 0.72 | 2.52 ± 0.85 | 1.23 ± 0.51 | 1.77 ± 1.17 | 182,522 | 0.000 | 282.0 | 0.003 |
| Tension | 1.71 ± 0.82 | 2.71 ± 0.84 | 1.66 ± 0.76 | 2.46 ± 0.97 | 220,213 | 0.424 | 478.0 | 0.378 |
| Somatic concerns | 1.37 ± 0.68 | 1.74 ± 0.87 | 1.33 ± 0.71 | 1.62 ± 1.19 | 216,413 | 0.092 | 469.0 | 0.332 |
| Tot. Bodily states | 4.57 ± 1.67 | 6.96 ± 1.64 | 4.22 ± 1.24 | 5.85 ± 1.28 | 206,607 | 0.006 | 313.5 | 0.011 |
| Suicidal thoughts | 1.12 ± 0.45 | 1.82 ± 0.99 | 1.03 ± 0.18 | 1.62 ± 0.65 | 214,095 | 0.000 | 519.0 | 0.704 |
| Purpose of suicide | 1.09 ± 0.37 | 1.67 ± 0.86 | 1.03 ± 0.19 | 1.46 ± 0.66 | 217,853 | 0.003 | 494.0 | 0.495 |
| Wish to die | 1.12 ± 0.44 | 1.86 ± 0.93 | 1.01 ± 0.10 | 1.15 ± 0.55 | 208,185 | 0.000 | 305.5 | 0.005 |
| Lack of reason for living | 1.11 ± 0.45 | 1.87 ± 1.01 | 1.01 ± 0.11 | 1.15 ± 0.55 | 211,677 | 0.000 | 316.5 | 0.007 |
| Suicidal actions | 1.05 ± 0.31 | 1.40 ± 0.82 | 1.00 ± 0.09 | 1.15 ± 0.55 | 219,935 | 0.000 | 472.5 | 0.239 |
| Tot. Suicidal thoughts/ behaviour |
5.48 ± 1.77 | 8.62 ± 3.84 | 5.08 ± 0.53 | 6.54 ± 2.70 | 210,408 | 0.000 | 365.5 | 0.045 |
| Tot. SUAS | 29.09 ± 8.34 | 46.27 ± 6.52 | 26.68 ± 5.11 | 42.62 ± 3.66 | 199,819 | 0.000 | 335.0 | 0.022 |
| Symptom Checklist 90-R | ||||||||
| Somatization | 48.89 ± 9.97 | 62.31 ± 11.91 | 46.53 ± 8.97 | 60.46 ± 8.90 | 190,564 | 0.000 | 482.5 | 0.458 |
| Obsessive-Compulsive | 45.91 ± 9.37 | 59.87 ± 11.14 | 43.12 ± 6.46 | 56.77 ± 9.67 | 189,614 | 0.000 | 466.0 | 0.362 |
| Interpersonal Sensitivity | 46.74 ± 9.15 | 59.93 ± 10.81 | 45.68 ± 7.55 | 68.15 ± 10.47 | 217,391 | 0.249 | 764.5 | 0.026 |
| Depression | 52.59 ± 11.40 | 70.04 ± 6.95 | 49.37 ± 9.31 | 71.38 ± 9.48 | 190,244 | 0.000 | 701.5 | 0.085 |
| Anxiety | 51.26 ± 11.26 | 67.22 ± 9.34 | 49.41 ± 9.27 | 71.15 ± 8.41 | 211,476 | 0.048 | 705.0 | 0.086 |
| Hostility | 44.51 ± 7.61 | 55.09 ± 11.64 | 45.06 ± 8.64 | 67.15 ± 11.02 | 227,443 | 0.765 | 871.0 | 0.001 |
| Phobic Anxiety | 48.24 ± 7.70 | 61.34 ± 11.91 | 48.64 ± 7.27 | 68.15 ± 10.63 | 239,249 | 0.025 | 748.0 | 0.036 |
| Paranoid Ideation | 46.24 ± 9.50 | 58.25 ± 11.70 | 44.27 ± 8.23 | 67.00 ± 13.34 | 196,993 | 0.000 | 801.5 | 0.009 |
| Psychoticism | 50.51 ± 9.52 | 64.02 ± 9.98 | 47.63 ± 8.00 | 70.15 ± 11.09 | 178,358 | 0.000 | 772.5 | 0.018 |
| Global Severity Index | 49.09 ± 10.80 | 66.92 ± 8.01 | 45.49 ± 9.67 | 70.69 ± 10.59 | 171,256 | 0.000 | 776.5 | 0.015 |
| Positive Symptom Total | 44.86 ± 8.80 | 59.96 ± 8.20 | 46.35 ± 9.84 | 68.69 ± 9.24 | 241,684 | 0.022 | 852.5 | 0.002 |
| Positive Symptom Distress Index |
54.38 ± 9.71 | 68.76 ± 7.85 | 51.62 ± 10.26 | 66.54 ± 8.84 | 180,364 | 0.000 | 443.5 | 0.234 |
Note: U = Mann–Whitney U test for independent groups applied to the Suicide Assessment Scale (SUAS item and total scores) and the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R dimensions and indexes T-scores) in subgroups of inmates with suicide risk (Blaauw+) and high suicidal intent (SUAS+), both incarcerated before and after the onset of COVID-19. The significance level (p-value) was set at 0.05.