ORIGINAL PAPER
Childhood Abuse and Mental Health Problems: Does
Gender Matter?
Gila Chen
1
•
Keren Gueta
2
Published online: 22 May 2015
Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Abstract Gender differences in the relationship between mental health problems and
childhood abuse have long been of interest to researchers. The purpose of the present study
was to examine gender differences in the relationship between childhood abuse and mental
health problems among 110 Israeli inmates (50 women and 60 men). The findings indi-
cated that female inmates reported higher prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual
abuse and were more likely to suffer from mental health problems, compared with the male
inmates. Additionally, the findings revealed that more female than male inmates had
parents with mental health problems. Female inmates who reported mental health problems
in their families also reported higher rates of child abuse relative to male inmates with a
similar family history.
Keywords Gender differences Á Inmates Á Childhood abuse Á Mental health problems
Introduction
The correctional system is not equipped to cope with inmates suffering from mental health
problems [1], and the absence of appropriate therapy during incarceration may exacerbate
these mental health problems [2]. Wallace et al. [3, p. 2] argued that ‘‘prisons are the largest
institution housing the mentally ill.’’ Indeed, research has found a high prevalence of mental
health disorders among inmates compared with the general population [4–7]. In particular,
there is evidence that female prisoners are more likely than male prisoners to suffer from
psychiatric disorders [8, 9] and to have been victims of multiple forms of child abuse [10]. A
national survey of the Israel Prison Service [11] revealed a higher prevalence of psychiatric
& Gila Chen
chengila6@gmail.com
1
Department of Criminology, Ashkelon Academic College, 12 Ben Tzvi St., 78109 Ashkelon, Israel
2
Department of Criminology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
123
Psychiatr Q (2016) 87:189–202
DOI 10.1007/s11126-015-9371-5
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