Exploring Coping Strategies in Response to Stress among Prisoners: A Comprehensive Scoping Review

Prisoners often experience psychological distress due to incarceration, legal uncertainty, and the disruption of social relationships. These conditions increase the risk of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Coping strategies are essential in helping individuals manage these stressors and are key to successful reintegration after release.

This study aims to systematically review the coping strategies employed by prisoners in response to psychological distress and to examine their impact on mental health and reintegration outcomes.

The research employs a scoping review with PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Literature searches were performed in Scopus, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect using the keywords “coping strategy,” “reintegration,” and “prisoner.” Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025. Of the 559 articles identified, 20 studies were included in the final review.

The findings indicate that prisoners utilize both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Maladaptive strategies such as denial, withdrawal, aggression, and substance use were commonly associated with higher levels of psychological distress. In contrast, adaptive strategies such as problem-solving, cognitive reframing, spiritual coping, and seeking social support were linked to better psychological well-being and improved reintegration outcomes.

Coping strategies significantly influence prisoners' mental health and their ability to reintegrate into society. Promoting adaptive coping in correctional settings, particularly through interventions that enhance emotional regulation and resilience, is essential. Further research is recommended to explore coping variations by case type and assess the effectiveness of tailored support programs.