Supervisors info:
Μαλλιώρη Μινέρβα –Μελπομένη, Ομότιμη Καθηγήτρια , Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Παπαρηγόπουλος Θωμάς, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Τριανταφύλλου Καλλιόπη, Phd, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Abstract
Introduction: It is a fact that the majority of the problem drugs’ users, they are likely to serve a prison sentence for drug law violations. In addition, the consequences of delinquency and substance dependence, it can adversely affect the public health. The research has shown a high prevalence in the general population and comorbidity with psychiatric disorders. Few, however, remains on the evidence for populations, such as the Roma community.
Purpose: The particular study focuses on the population of Romani women, who are incarcerated in a penitentiary, in order to make a research about the possibility of an association between the use of addictive substances and delinquency in relation to their existing psychopathology.
Methodology: A contemporary research was conducted on a sample of 184 Roma 50.5% (mean age 42.4 years SD=11.6) and non-Roma 49.5% (mean age 43.7 years SD=10.8) women incarcerated in greek women prison of Eleona - Thiva, from November to January 2024. The DUDIT tool was used to detect the frequency of prior substance use, as also to make a research on the aggressive-deviant behavior Aggression Questionnaire. In addition, the DASS21 questionnaire was used in order to collect data on possible symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress, as well as the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale 10 questionnaire in order to assess self-esteem. Finally, the participants were asked to fill in the socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire that would complete the survey with more data.
Results: Of the total sample, 50.5% were Roma prisoners and 49.5% non-Roma. Statistical analysis revealed that Roma were found significantly burdened in terms of DASS21 (p<0.001), AQ (p<0.001), RSES (p<0.001), while in DUDIT scale (p<0.154, p<0.005) there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. In addition, socio-demographic data between the two groups showed differences mainly in terms of educational level, maternity, marital and employment status. Roma women were more often married, with children and not working, with the respective percentages being 51.6%, 45.2% and 91.4%, while for non-Roma women the percentages were 36.3%, 28.6% and 64.8%. Finally, among those who had children, Roma women had a significantly higher number of children.
Conclusions: The present thesis was the first attempt to capture the relationship between substance dependence and delinquency in female prisoners and more specifically in the Roma population, in relation to symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety and self-esteem levels. The resulting findings demonstrate the vulnerability of Roma women in all the areas investigated. Both the state and the health experts, by learning about the current situation, can carry out further research and design prevention and support frameworks for these women.
Keywords:
Roma women, Substance dependence, Delinquency, Mental disorders, Aggressive behavior, Self-esteem
