Mental health in prison - "trialogic" mental health training of prison officers in Germany

Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems and mental illness in prison populations the training of prison officers in this respect appears insufficient. A "trialogic" training approach (including users of mental health services and family members) focuses on self-reflection, understanding of mental health problems, encounters with users and family-members and on the specific conditions of mental health in prison. To evaluate the programme a waiting list control design was chosen. Prison officers in the training group showed (1) less social distance towards people with mental illness, (2) less negative emotions (anger and fear) and (3) fewer negative stereotypes about people with mental illness, with a trend towards a more multidimensional model of mental illness. The training was well accepted by the participants and subsequently included in the mandatory training for prison officers in Hamburg. "Trialogic" trainings appear to be effective in fostering awareness for the mental health of prisoners as well as for the life and working conditions of prison officers.