LaBarbera Robin
Biola University, La Mirada, United States.
Health Justice. 2025 May 13;13(1):32. doi: 10.1186/s40352-025-00340-w.
Research suggests that educational programs that impact well-being show the greatest promise for promoting behavioral change and providing incarcerated men and women with the skills necessary to reintegrate into communities successfully. The development of well-being is a key component of such educational programs, as it affords important protective factors in the face of stress and difficulty and improves individuals' chances of stable re-entry to their communities. The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) is a faith-based, seminary-level, higher-education program that enhances healthy thinking, prosocial behavior, and positive interpersonal relationships for incarcerated men and women in the United States.
We evaluated well-being among TUMI participants incarcerated in correctional facilities in Texas, Kansas, and among groups of formerly incarcerated TUMI graduates in California, Texas, and Kansas. We conducted focus groups with 109 men and women inside six prisons, and 157 people completed mixed methods surveys, for a total of 266 data points.
Qualitative results fell into three primary themes related to well-being, namely healthy thinking patterns, prosocial behavior, and positive interpersonal relationships. Participants completed the Flourishing Scale, reporting agreement with all eight statements, with particularly strong agreement to statements related to healthy thinking patterns.
Findings provided support for the growing argument that faith-based correctional education promotes wellbeing, which is a key factor in improving behavior, reducing disciplinary infractions, and preparing incarcerated men and women for successful reintegration into their communities. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential value of providing educational opportunities like TUMI to incarcerated individuals.
研究表明，对幸福感产生影响的教育项目在促进行为改变以及为被监禁的男性和女性提供成功重新融入社区所需技能方面最具潜力。幸福感的培养是此类教育项目的关键组成部分，因为它在面对压力和困难时提供重要的保护因素，并提高个人稳定重返社区的机会。城市牧师学院（TUMI）是一个基于信仰的神学院水平的高等教育项目，旨在增强美国被监禁的男性和女性的健康思维、亲社会行为和积极的人际关系。
我们评估了在得克萨斯州、堪萨斯州惩教设施中被监禁的TUMI参与者以及加利福尼亚州、得克萨斯州和堪萨斯州的TUMI毕业生群体的幸福感。我们在六所监狱中对109名男性和女性进行了焦点小组访谈，157人完成了混合方法调查，共获得266个数据点。
定性结果分为与幸福感相关的三个主要主题，即健康的思维模式、亲社会行为和积极的人际关系。参与者完成了蓬勃发展量表，对所有八项陈述都表示认同，对与健康思维模式相关的陈述认同度尤其高。
研究结果支持了越来越多的观点，即基于信仰的惩教教育能促进幸福感，而幸福感是改善行为、减少违规行为以及让被监禁的男性和女性为成功重新融入社区做好准备的关键因素。总体而言，这项研究证明了为被监禁者提供像TUMI这样的教育机会的潜在价值。
