Factors influencing recidivism among female inmates in drug-related cases in Thailand: Self-compassion, antisocial personality, guilt, and hope

Purpose

This study investigates the causal relationships between self-compassion, antisocial personality, guilt, and hope, and their influence on repeat offending among female inmates involved in drug-related cases in Thailand.

Methods

The sample comprised 646 Thai female inmates aged between 28 and 52 years from five correctional institutions in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Instruments included the Self-Compassion Scale, the Antisocial Personality Scale, the Guilt Scale, the Hope Scale, and the Recidivism Tendency Scale.

Results

The causal relationship analysis reveals that self-compassion directly influences guilt (β = −0.303, p < .05), but does not directly impact hope or recidivism. Antisocial personality has a direct influence on guilt (β = −0.828, p < .001) and hope (β = −0.723, p < .001), and indirectly influences repeat offending with hope acting as a mediator variable (β = 0.414). Guilt directly influences recidivism (β = −0.541, p < .05), as does hope (β = −0.573, p < .001). Among the six hypotheses tested, only one was supported by the research findings.

Discussion and Conclusion

The findings indicate that there are additional variables, not examined in this study, that could have a causal relationship influencing recidivism and warrant further investigation. Future research should emphasize the specific social and cultural contexts that impact data analysis. The results suggest that to reduce recidivism, it is important to focus on reducing impulsive and antisocial personality traits, promoting hope and guilt awareness, and fostering self-compassion.