Grant: Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Correctional work is challenging, stressful, and potentially traumatic. Researchers have sought to identify factors that increase correctional officers' (COs) stress but have yet to explore those that increase the potentiality for COs to develop psychological disorders or compromised well-being. CCWORK is a multiyear longitudinal cohort study (2018-2028; Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli, Memorial University) to study 500 COs working in 43 Canadian federal prisons. CCWORK aims to inform strategies for early intervention and prevention of mental health disorders among COs and to advance the field of correctional studies. CCWORK is driven by 2 research questions: (1) How do self-reported and clinically assessed CO mental health and mental health knowledge change on an annual basis from training (baseline) through the first 5-10 years of their profession? (2) How do specific individual, organizational, and job-related factors affect self-reported and clinically assessed CO mental health from training (baseline) through the first 5-10 years of their profession? The project draws on quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments to assess participants' mental health, correctional work experiences, correctional training experiences, views and perceptions of prison and prisoners, and career aspirations. Baseline instruments comprise two surveys (one with several self-reported psychometrics), one interview and a clinical assessment (the M.I.N.I interview). These are administered when participants are still recruits in training. Follow-up instruments refer to a survey, an interview and a clinical assessment conducted yearly, when participants have become COs. Project outcomes include developing an evidence-based model for employee wellness within correctional services.