Mental health vulnerabilities among incarcerated women: correctional professionals’ perspectives in Spain

PURPOSE: Women in prison have been reported to show greater vulnerability to mental health problems when compared to women in the general population or incarcerated men. Despite growing research on prison mental health, fewer studies have examined correctional professionals' perspectives as they relate to the mental health needs and vulnerabilities of incarcerated women. This study aims to analyze correctional professionals' perceptions of the mental health needs and vulnerabilities of incarcerated women in Spain. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A questionnaire to 362 professionals across 32 Spanish correctional institutions examined correctional professionals' perceptions of mental health vulnerabilities, psychiatric symptoms and treatment-related issues affecting incarcerated women. FINDINGS: Correctional professionals identified vulnerability factors affecting incarcerated women's mental health, including a high perceived prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders, excessive demand for medication and insufficient specialized care, particularly in contexts of family disconnection and substance-use disorders. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: This study relies on professionals' perceptions, which may introduce bias and does not allow the establishment of clinical diagnoses. Its cross-sectional design and the exclusion of regions with transferred healthcare competences limit generalizability. Nevertheless, these constraints highlight the need for future longitudinal and comparative research on women's mental health in prison. Future research should triangulate these findings with clinical data and the perspectives of incarcerated women themselves. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study highlights the perceived need to reform prison healthcare models by incorporating integrated, psychosocial and gender-sensitive approaches. It emphasizes enhancing prison staff training, improving mental health services in prisons and fostering coordination between penitentiary and public healthcare systems to ensure continuity of care.