Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Symptoms Among Incarcerated Youth: A Meta-Analysis of 30 Studies

Incarcerated youth have high levels of mental disorders. However, there are no up-to-date reviews examining the prevalence rates of a broad range of mental disorders and symptoms across youth justice populations. The current review aims to bridge this gap. We conducted a systematic search of the literature using PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases. We used meta-analyses to produce pooled prevalence figures for each mental health disorder and symptoms, and meta-regression to test for the moderating effects of covariates, such as gender. Thirty studies were included involving 8,153 participants. Meta-regression analysis showed that females had higher prevalence rates for depression, separation anxiety disorder and suicide. Males had higher prevalence rates for conduct disorder and emerging antisocial personality disorder. Emerging personality disorders (borderline personality disorder: 21%; 95% CI: 13–28%; antisocial personality disorder: 62%; 95% CI: 39–82%) were relatively common in both genders. The findings of this meta-analysis show the need for robust mental health services in custody settings. Adopting a developmentally focused approach would increase understanding of incarcerated youths’ needs and help to early detection of emerging personality symptoms. To improve young people’s mental health, we need to ensure that services do not misidentify young people’s needs due to diagnostic limitations.