Gila Chen

Social Support, Spiritual Program, and Addiction Recovery

This study compared personal and emotional modifications of inmates who were recovering addicts and who participated in one of two year-long therapeutic intervention programs, one including social support and experiential spiritual program components (Narcotics Anonymous, NA, meetings and the 12-step course), the other including primarily social support (NA meetings only, without the 12-step program). The hypothesis was that supplementing social support programs with a concrete spiritual program would result in more positive personal and emotional changes. The results seem to support the hypothesis: Inmates participating in the 12-step program demonstrated a higher sense of coherence and meaning in life and a gradual reduction in the intensity of negative emotions (anxiety, depression, and hostility) than those participating in NA meetings without the 12-step program. The research findings demonstrate the importance of the 12-step program as part of a rehabilitation process for drug addicts.

The meaning of suffering in drug addiction and recovery from the perspective of existentialism, Buddhism and the 12-step program.

Abstract The aim of the current article was to examine the meaning of suffering in drug addiction and in the recovery process. Negative emotions may cause primary suffering that can drive an individual toward substance abuse. At the same time, drugs only provide temporary relief, and over time, the pathological effects of the addiction worsen causing secondary suffering, which is a motivation for treatment. The 12-Step program offers a practical way to cope with suffering through a process of surrender. The act of surrender sets in motion a conversion experience, which involves a self-change including reorganization of ones identity and meaning in life. This article is another step toward understanding one of the several factors that contribute to the addicts motivation for treatment. This knowledge may be helpful for tailoring treatment that addresses suffering as a factor that initiates treatment motivation and, in turn, treatment success.

Gender Differences in Sense of Coherence, Perceived Social Support, and Negative Emotions Among Drug-Abstinent Israeli Inmates

This study examines gender differences in the sense of coherence, perceived social support, and negative emotions among drug-abstinent Israeli inmates. One hundred nineteen inmates have participated in this study (65 men and 54 women). The findings indicate that among female inmates, abstinence of more than a year is related to a decrease in sense of coherence and to an increase in their perceived friend support. In contrast, among male inmates, abstinence of more than a year is related to an increase in sense of coherence and no change at all in their perceived friend support. In addition, hostility level is lower and sense of coherence is higher when the length of abstinence exceeds a year among male inmates. In contrast, among female inmates hostility level is higher when the sense of coherence is lower, without any connection to the length of abstinence. The implications of these findings to treatment intervention are discussed.This study examines gender differences in the sense of coherence, perceived social support, and negative emotions among drug-abstinent Israeli inmates. One hundred nineteen inmates have participated in this study (65 men and 54 women). The findings indicate that among female inmates, abstinence of more than a year is related to a decrease in sense of coherence and to an increase in their perceived friend support. In contrast, among male inmates, abstinence of more than a year is related to an increase in sense of coherence and no change at all in their perceived friend support. In addition, hostility level is lower and sense of coherence is higher when the length of abstinence exceeds a year among male inmates. In contrast, among female inmates hostility level is higher when the sense of coherence is lower, without any connection to the length of abstinence. The implications of these findings to treatment intervention are discussed.

Gender Differences in Crime, Drug Addiction, Abstinence, Personality Characteristics, and Negative Emotions

Abstract The current study examined gender differences in personal and psychological characteristics among drug-abstinent Israeli inmates. The study fo cuses primarily on three personal variables: sense of coherence (SOC), anxiety, and hostility. Additional factors that were examined are demographic variables, which include background, crime, and drug addiction. The sample included 119 inmates (65 males and 54 females) who abstained from drugs use for two different time intervals-up to one year, and more than one year—and did not receive treatment. Overall, males and females shared similar backgrounds except for a higher rate of sexual abuse among female inmates. No gender differences were found in recidivism. These findings show that drug-addicted female inmates injected drugs to a greater extent than males. They also indicated that male inmates remained abstinent for longer periods than female inmates. Additionally, length of abstinence was related to higher SOC, lower trait anxiety, and less hostility among male inmates compared to female inmates. Among female inmates, length of abstinence was related to lower SOC, higher trait anxiety, and no change in hostility. These findings may indicate the need to require separate gender-oriented therapeutic interventions.

Child abuse, drug addiction and mental health problems of incarcerated women in Israel

The mental health problems and pathways to drug addiction and crime among female inmates have long been of interest to researchers and practitioners. The purpose of the current study was to examine the possible association between multiple types of childhood abuse, mental health problems, and drug addiction and the incarceration of 50 Israeli women in prison. The findings indicated that female inmates come from risky families with a high prevalence of family mental health problems, parental drug addiction and crime, and sibling drug addiction and crime. Furthermore, they revealed that incarcerated women from risky families were victims of multiple types of childhood abuse and neglect by their parents, as well as their siblings. Overall, the results suggest that the adverse consequences of a familys mental health problems are much more dramatic than we assumed to date, and that women are more likely than men to be the victims of multiple types of childhood abuse and neglect, as well as suffering more severe psychiatric problems, depression, and drug addiction. The implications of these findings are discussed.

The relationship between criminology studies and punitive attitudes

Policymakers and researchers have long been interested in the punitive attitudes of police and correctional officers. This research examined the punitive attitudes of 206 police and correctional officers at the beginning and towards the end of academic studies. The results indicate that (a) the police officers held more punitive attitudes compared with the correctional officers; (b) the correctional officers, but not the police officers, held less punitive attitudes in the last year than in the first year of studies; (c) male police officers generally held more punitive attitudes than their female counterparts; (d) belief in classical theories, which was found to be the strongest predictor of harsher punitive attitudes, was greater among police than correctional officers. The implications of the results are discussed.

What do our clients say? Residents’ perceptions of recovery in Retorno – A Jewish therapeutic community

Residents’ perceptions of recovery in a therapeutic community (TC) have long been of interest to researchers and addiction practitioners. This study aims to continue this course of research in a TC in Israel. In particular, this study aims to present subjective perceptions of recovery of the clients in Retorno, a Jewish TC, using a qualitative, phenomenological, and retrospective study design. The participants were 21 clients, 11 juveniles, and 10 adults, who were administered an in-depth, semi-structured, individual interview. The findings cover two main themes: (a) the properties of treatment that the clients specified as significant to their recovery and (b) the expressions of change in the clients’ lives during their recovery. The findings highlight the importance of unconditional acceptance and caring during therapy, along with additional spiritual values that might challenge clients. This perspective signifies the “how to” and “how it is perceived” rather than merely the “what to do.” It represents the application of the emerging positive criminology that inspires the separation–unification vector of clients with some progress toward greater unification in the social, individual, and spiritual dimensions.

Gossip in a Maximum Security Female Prison: An Exploratory Study

This research examines 2 issues that have been overlooked by previous research on the subculture of female inmates: the social functions of gossip in a maximum security female prison and the inmates’ motivations and attitudes toward gossip and gossipers. The inmates of Israels female prison perceive gossip as a negative phenomenon. Although they claim that gossip is frequent and central in their prison lives, most deny gossiping themselves. The inmates give several explanations for gossip. They see gossip as an inherent part of “female nature” and claim that gossip is used to increase ones social or material status. They also argue that gossip is an act of envy or an expression of useless evilness. Nonetheless, this study proposes that the inmates use gossip to relieve various pains of imprisonments and that despite the inmates’ negative attitudes, gossip may serve other beneficial social purposes of which the inmates are unaware. Although complex and occasionally contradictory, the findings of this study emphasize the multiple positive and negative functions that gossip has in the prison lives of female inmates.

Natural Recovery from Drug and Alcohol Addiction Among Israeli Prisoners

Abstract This study examined differences in the sense of coherence, anxiety, depression, hostility, behavior, and meaning in life among Israeli prisoners recovering from drug and alcohol addiction over various time periods (6–24 months), and without therapeutic intervention (natural recovery). Ninety—eight abstinent prisoners were divided into two groups: Group 1 comprised participants who had been drug abstinent up to six months, and Group 2 comprised participants who had been abstinent between 6 and 24 months. Group 2 participants exhibited a higher sense of coherence, and meaning in life, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and better behavior. The findings indicate that natural recovery is possible among addicted prisoners and furthermore, that personal and emotional changes are associated with the duration of abstinence. Understanding the natural recovery process could help in designing more effective and accessible treatment services as well as shed light upon what might trigger and perpetuate the recovery process.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? Sex in a Female Maximum-Security Prison

This study presents Israeli female inmates’ attitudes toward same-sex sexual relationships in prison and incentives to participation. The major findings are (a) conflict exists between the prevalence of same-sex sexual relationships among Israeli female inmates and prisoner negative attitudes toward them, (b) nearly all same-sex sexual relationships among shorter-term female inmates are based on economic exploitation and other benefits, and (c) most Jewish and Muslim female prisoners express negative attitudes toward same-sex sexual relationships in prison but, at the same time, participate in them. Unlike most female prisons in the Western world, the single women’s prison facility in Israel lacks pseudofamily networks.