Replicating Evidence in a New Context: A Cross-Sectional Study of Multidomain Quality of Life in Serbian Prisons

Milićević, Milena (2026) Replicating Evidence in a New Context: A Cross-Sectional Study of Multidomain Quality of Life in Serbian Prisons. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. pp. 1-26. ISSN 1552-6933

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Abstract

This cross-sectional study assessed Quality of Life (QOL) using the WHOQOL-BREF among 600 prisoners (14% female, 71% in closed regimes) across five large Serbian facilities, aiming to replicate and extend international findings. Four QOL domains and their correlates, gender differences, and the contributions of each domain to overall QOL were examined. Mean scores ranged from 55.48 (environmental) to 67.02 (psychological), with overall QOL averaging below 60. Regression analysis revealed that physical health was the strongest predictor of overall QOL (β = .35), followed by environmental QOL (β = .32), diverging from U.S. data, and that males reported significantly higher QOL than females. While partially replicating earlier data, these findings provide the first detailed QOL profile of Serbian prisoners and reveal context specific differences in correlates and demographic patterns. These findings fill a major geographical gap, confirm that QOL is profoundly compromised, and underscore the need for environment- and health-oriented prison reforms in Serbia.

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