Incarcerated women’s pathways from victimization experiences to depression: Mediating effect of self-esteem

Abstract

A great deal of evidence posits that women exhibit distinct pathways to crime and treatment needs. Thus, this study examines the mechanism by which incarcerated women developed depression. The study analyzed comprehensive data on 647 incarcerated women who were discharged from major penal institutions throughout Japan. The results indicate that neither the path from victimization experiences in adulthood to self-esteem nor the path from self-esteem to depression was significant. However, experiences related to abuse from parents during childhood were correlated with low levels of self-esteem, which is, in turn, correlated with increased tendencies toward depression.