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Volume 6
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Article

The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Mental Health, and Coping Strategies Among Male Prisoners: A Preliminary Exploratory Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study

by
Bartosz Bogusz Colinso
1,
Weronika Hariasz
2,*,
Dawid Konieczko
1,
Antonina Wiktoria Trzaskoma
1 and
Aureliusz Andrzej Kosendiak
3
1
Medical Faculty, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-345 Wroclaw, Poland
2
Medical Faculty, University of Opole, 45-040 Opole, Poland
3
College of Health Studies, University of Lower Silesia, 53-611 Wroclaw, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Psychiatry Int. 2025, 6(4), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6040153
Submission received: 31 July 2025 / Revised: 28 October 2025 / Accepted: 1 December 2025 / Published: 5 December 2025
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Abstract

Mental health problems are widespread in prison populations and can negatively affect inmates’ well-being. Although physical activity (PA) is known to benefit mental health in the general population, less is known about this relationship in correctional settings. This study examined the association between PA levels, symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as coping strategies among 130 male prisoners at Prison No. 1 in Wroclaw, Poland. Data were collected using validated self-report tools: the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Mini-COPE inventory. Inmates who met the criteria for Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than less active participants. Individuals showing signs of mental health difficulties were also more likely to rely on avoidant coping strategies, though no clear link was found between coping style and activity level. Cluster analysis further supported the observed association between low PA and higher psychological distress. These findings suggest a potential role for PA in supporting mental health in prison settings. They also highlight the importance of identifying individuals who may be at risk due to maladaptive coping strategies. Given its exploratory nature, the study’s findings should be interpreted with caution and verified in future research with larger and more diverse samples.
Keywords: physical activity; mental health; coping strategies; prisoners physical activity; mental health; coping strategies; prisoners

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MDPI and ACS Style

Colinso, B.B.; Hariasz, W.; Konieczko, D.; Trzaskoma, A.W.; Kosendiak, A.A. The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Mental Health, and Coping Strategies Among Male Prisoners: A Preliminary Exploratory Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study. Psychiatry Int. 2025, 6, 153. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6040153

AMA Style

Colinso BB, Hariasz W, Konieczko D, Trzaskoma AW, Kosendiak AA. The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Mental Health, and Coping Strategies Among Male Prisoners: A Preliminary Exploratory Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study. Psychiatry International. 2025; 6(4):153. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6040153

Chicago/Turabian Style

Colinso, Bartosz Bogusz, Weronika Hariasz, Dawid Konieczko, Antonina Wiktoria Trzaskoma, and Aureliusz Andrzej Kosendiak. 2025. "The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Mental Health, and Coping Strategies Among Male Prisoners: A Preliminary Exploratory Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study" Psychiatry International 6, no. 4: 153. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6040153

APA Style

Colinso, B. B., Hariasz, W., Konieczko, D., Trzaskoma, A. W., & Kosendiak, A. A. (2025). The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Mental Health, and Coping Strategies Among Male Prisoners: A Preliminary Exploratory Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study. Psychiatry International, 6(4), 153. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6040153

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