Post-traumatic growth mediates the relationship between self-compassion based person-centered therapy and recidivism

The best reintegration intervention for inmates remains unclear. Due to the high prevalence of PTSD in the inmate population, this study suggests that post-traumatic growth can be predictive in lowering recidivism rates. Carl Rogers’ person-centered therapy also has the theoretical potential to bridge the gap between trauma recovery and successful reintegration for inmates. An emphasis on self-compassion in person-centered therapy may also be effective in building the resources for emotional regulation in inmates. 156 inmates from the San Bernardino maximum and minimum security prison participated in a ten-year longitudinal study that explored how self-compassion based person-centered therapy could be used to lower recidivism rates, with the mediational effect of post-traumatic growth. Participants were given self-report measures for post-traumatic growth, meaning in life and self-compassion before interventions began and prior to their release. In the first year, participants engaged in self-compassion based person-centered therapy every other week for three months, followed by a week-long refresher course for the four years following. Checkpoints monitoring recidivism rates occurred at one month, six months, one year and five years post release. Results showed that self-compassion based person-centered therapy significantly lowered recidivism rates with a significant mediational effect of post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth showed stronger predictive power compared to meaning in life. Self-compassion levels of the inmates went up after the five-year intervention. Results indicate that trauma rehabilitation should be further emphasized in inmate reintegration