Ethnically Minoritised Prisoners’ Perceptions of Accessing a Therapy Service in Prison

Abstract

Background: It is well-documented that there is disparity in uptake of prison interventions by ethnically minoritised (EM) individuals, although it is not fully understood why uptake is lower. This is particularly true of prison psychological interventions, with limited research having explored this to date. A more nuanced understanding of why EM individuals may face more barriers to accessing therapeutic services in prison is lacking. Aims: The study aimed to explore the perspectives of EM individuals referred for therapeutic support in prison, to establish what can improve access to prison psychological interventions. It aimed to look at whether there are any factors that facilitate or dissuade engagement. Method: The study used semi-structured interviews to explore EM individuals’ experiences of accessing therapy in prison, using Thematic Analysis. A purposive sample of ten men from four prisons were recruited. They were from black British, black Caribbean, black Jamaican and Jamaican Irish backgrounds. Results: Six superordinate themes emerged: Barriers to Accessing Therapy; I Needed Therapy; Right Time, Right Place; What I Gained From Therapy; It Mattered Who I Worked With; Needing To Be More Visible. Conclusions and Implications The study builds upon the limited research looking at experiences of accessing therapy by EM prisoners. It contributes knowledge around the barriers to access in the context of prison; namely a feeling of needing to be tough to get through difficult circumstances, stigma and a lack of trust in professionals. It highlights the process by which individuals overcome these reservations. The study also gives insight to how therapeutic services can be more responsive to the needs of a diverse prison population by making efforts to be more visible, flexible and promoting choice in accessing support. The study adds to a growing body of research that challenges the narrative that EM men are hard to engage therapeutically.