Date of Award
3-13-2014
Document Type
Undergraduate Capstone Project
Degree Name
Psy.D.
Organizational Unit
Graduate School of Professional Psychology
First Advisor
Michael Karson
Second Advisor
Judith E. Fox
Third Advisor
Jennifer Gafford
Keywords
Goffman, Severe and persistent mental illness, Performance theory, Stigma, Prison
Abstract
Deinstitutionalization of psychiatric hospitals, which occurred in the 1970's, led to an overwhelming number of mentally ill individuals within jails and prisons. In fact, correctional facilities have become the mainline providers of mentally ill inmates; however, these facilities' primary form of intervention is psychotropic medication. Although beneficial in some instances, when viewed through the lens of Goffman's theories of performance and stigma, simply providing medication promotes the role of mental patient. Arguably, within correctional facilities, medication management assists in maintaining security in the institution (i.e., external change); however, this prohibits the inmate from internal change, which might otherwise be facilitated via a secure therapeutic relationship. Given the stripping of one's former identity upon entrance to correctional facilities, performing the role of mental patient may be an enticing way to serve a sentence. In other words, it is a stigmatized identity; thus, less demanding. This paper will explore changing society's view of what is normal in hopes of de-stigmatizing the role of mental patient. This would include accurately identifying those with organic mental illness and those who are behaviorally motivated, with an emphasis on providing a therapeutic environment centered upon secure attachments between patient and provider. Keywords: Goffman; severe and persistent mental illness; performance theory; stigma; and prison.
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Extent
43 pages
Recommended Citation
Raskin, Kaley JoAnne, "What Does Performance Theory Have to Teach Us About the Treatment of Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) in Prison?" (2014). Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects. 38.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/capstone_masters/38