SOFRIMENTO PSICOLÓGICO EM PESSOAS PRIVADAS DE LIBERDADE, UM ESTUDO NOS ESTABELECIMENTOS PENITENCIÁRIOS DA CIDADE DE NAMPULA

This article, which deals with the theme of psychological suffering in people deprived of liberty, is a case study developed in two penitentiary establishments (Civil Prison and Rex Women's Prison, in Nampula city) whose objective was to discuss the main psychiatric disorders of the inmate population and propose strategies for reducing and/or coping with the psychological suffering of inmates. 21 psychotherapy sessions were carried out using the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy approach between April and November 2023 with 62 inmates suffering from various psychopathologies. A qualitative approach with a content analysis focus was used. The results indicate the prevalence of personality and adjustment disorders among inmates in penitentiary establishments, which vary between schizophrenic disorders 11 (24.4%), antisocial personality disorder 10 (22.2%), bipolar personality disorder 9 (20%), borderline disorder 7 (15.6%), narcissistic personality disorder 4 (8.9%), depressive disorders 3 (6.7%) and generalized anxiety disorder 1 (2.2%), resulting from multiple factors. Therefore, it is suggested that Mozambican penitentiaries include psychology professionals in the health routine of prisoners, the development of projects to prevent psychopathologies and promote mental health, the promotion of lecture series and meetings addressing risk factors for mental health and the expansion of the psychological support network, allocating more psychology and psychiatry professionals to health centers located in penitentiaries.