Date of Conferral

8-23-2024

Date of Award

August 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Sandra Caramela-Miller

Abstract

Exonerees (i.e., wrongfully convicted individuals) experience difficulties during the reintegration process when gaining employment, housing, healthcare, and financial compensation. External factors are known to negatively impact reintegration. One internal negative consequence of wrongful convictions and the reintegration process for exonerees is identity changes. Less known is the impact of internal factors on reintegration. Self-esteem and self-compassion are two known constructs that comprise personal identity. The relationships between these two constructs with reintegration difficulties of DNA-exonerees were researched. The social identity approach is useful in this quantitative, nonexperimental exploration of the relationship between self-esteem and reintegration difficulties. The social identity approach secondarily is useful in this investigation of the relationship between self-compassion and reintegration. Participants (n = 40) were recruited via social media and completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, and reintegration difficulties survey. Data were analyzed using linear regression models. Participants reported moderate to high levels of difficulty, low levels of self-compassion, and moderate levels of self-esteem. Lower self-esteem and self-compassion levels were negatively correlated with difficulties during reintegration. Positive social change may be addressed through these internal factor barriers and facilitate the DNA-exoneree reintegration process. Public policies, social programs, and additional exoneree resources stemming from the results may also inform social change.

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