Browsing by Author "Mitchell, Meghan"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Open Access
CCWORK Protocol: The longitudinal study of Canadian Correctional Workers’ Wellbeing, Organizations, Roles and Knowledge
(BMJ Publishing Group, 2021-10-26) Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Andres, Elizabeth; Mitchell, Meghan; Quirion, Bastien; Groll, Dianne; Adorjan, Michael; Cassiano, Marcella Siqueira; Shewmake, James; Herzog-Evans, Martine; Moran, Dominique; Spencer, Dale, C.; Genest, Christine; Czarnuch, Stephen; Gacek, James; Cramm, Heidi; Maier, Katharina; Phoenix, Jo; Weinrath, Michael; MacDermid, Joy C.; McKinnon, Margaret; Haynes, Stacy; Arnold, Helen; Turner, Jennifer; Eriksson, Anna; Heber, Alexandra; Anderson, Gregory S.; MacPhee, Renée, S.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Introduction Knowledge about the factors that contribute to the correctional officer’s (CO) mental health and well-being, or best practices for improving the mental health and well-being of COs, have been hampered by the dearth of rigorous longitudinal studies. In the current protocol, we share the approach used in the Canadian Correctional Workers’ Well-being, Organizations, Roles and Knowledge study (CCWORK), designed to investigate several determinants of health and well-being among COs working in Canada’s federal prison system.
Open Access
Longitudinal study of Canadian correctional workers' wellbeing, organizations, roles and knowledge (CCWORK): Baseline demographics and prevalence of mental health disorders
(Frontiers Media, 2022-08-12) Easterbrook, Bethany; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Sanger, Brahm, D.; Mitchell, Meghan; McKinnon, Margaret; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Background: Researchers and practitioners have begun to recognize and empirically examine the mental health challenges facing public safety personnel (PSP). Empirical results from longitudinal data collection among PSP remains extremely scant, particularly for institutional correctional workers. We designed the current study to assess the mental health of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) correctional officer recruits (CORs) across time to help clarify potential challenges to or protective factors for mental health across correctional officer (CO) careers.
Open Access
Pervasive Uncertainty under Threat: Mental Health Disorders and Experiences of Uncertainty for Correctional Workers
(SAGE Publications, 2022-07) Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Mitchell, Meghan; Taillieu, Tamara L.; Angehrn, Andréanne; Afifi, Tracie O.
Exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events for correctional workers is high. However, the mechanisms driving the high prevalence are relatively unexplained. Using data from a cross-sectional, online survey of correctional service workers (n = 845) in Ontario, Canada, collected in 2017–2018, we assess the prevalence of mental disorders with a specific focus on uncertainty in the workplace and between correctional roles. We find that correctional officers, institutional governance, and probation/parole officers appear most at risk of mental disorders (prevalence of any mental disorder was 56.9%, 60.3%, and 59.2%, respectively). We argue slightly lower prevalence among institutional wellness, training, and administrative staff may result in part from their more predictable work environment, where they have more control. The results reaffirm a need for evidence-based proactive mental health activities, knowledge translation, and treatment and a need to explore how authority without control (i.e., unpredictability at work) can inform employee mental health.
Open Access
Provincial Correctional Service Workers: The Prevalence of Mental Disorders
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2020-03-25) Carleton, R. Nicholas; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Taillieu, Tamara L.; Mitchell, Meghan; Andres, Elizabeth; Afifi, Tracie O.
Correctional service employees in Ontario, Canada (n = 1487) began an online survey available from 2017 to 2018 designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of mental health challenges. Participants who provided data for the current study (n = 1032) included provincial staff working in institutional wellness (e.g., nurses) (n = 71), training (e.g., program officers) (n = 26), governance (e.g., superintendents) (n = 82), correctional officers (n = 553), administration (e.g., record keeping) (n = 25 ), and probation officers (n = 144, parole officers). Correctional officers, workers in institutional administration and governance positions, and probation officers reported elevated risk for mental disorders, most notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder. Among institutional correctional staff, 61.0% of governance employees, 59.0% of correctional officers, 43.7% of wellness staff, 50.0% of training staff, and 52.0% of administrative staff screened positive for one or more mental disorders. In addition, 63.2% of probation officers screened positive for one or more mental disorders. Women working as correctional officers were more likely to screen positive than men (p < 0.05). Across all correctional occupational categories positive screens for each disorder were: 30.7% for PTSD, 37.0% for major depressive disorder, 30.5% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 58.2% for one or more mental disorders. Participants between ages 40 and 49 years, working in institutional governance, as an institutional correctional officer, or as a probational officer, separated or divorced, were all factors associated (p < 0.05) with screening positive for one or more mental disorders. The prevalence of mental health challenges for provincial correctional workers appears to be higher than federal correctional workers in Canada and further supports the need for evidence-based mental health solutions.
Open Access
Provincial Correctional Service Workers: The Prevalence of Mental Disorders
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2020-03-25) Carleton, R. Nicholas; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Taillieu, Tamara L.; Mitchell, Meghan; Andres, Elizabeth; Afifi, Tracie O.
Correctional service employees in Ontario, Canada (n = 1487) began an online survey available from 2017 to 2018 designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of mental health challenges. Participants who provided data for the current study (n = 1032) included provincial staff working in institutional wellness (e.g., nurses) (n = 71), training (e.g., program officers) (n = 26), governance (e.g., superintendents) (n = 82), correctional officers (n = 553), administration (e.g., record keeping) (n = 25 ), and probation officers (n = 144, parole officers). Correctional officers, workers in institutional administration and governance positions, and probation officers reported elevated risk for mental disorders, most notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder. Among institutional correctional staff, 61.0% of governance employees, 59.0% of correctional officers, 43.7% of wellness staff, 50.0% of training staff, and 52.0% of administrative staff screened positive for one or more mental disorders. In addition, 63.2% of probation officers screened positive for one or more mental disorders. Women working as correctional officers were more likely to screen positive than men (p < 0.05). Across all correctional occupational categories positive screens for each disorder were: 30.7% for PTSD, 37.0% for major depressive disorder, 30.5% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 58.2% for one or more mental disorders. Participants between ages 40 and 49 years, working in institutional governance, as an institutional correctional officer, or as a probational officer, separated or divorced, were all factors associated (p < 0.05) with screening positive for one or more mental disorders. The prevalence of mental health challenges for provincial correctional workers appears to be higher than federal correctional workers in Canada and further supports the need for evidence-based mental health solutions.