Data on internal and external factors influencing prison officers threat systems and job connectedness, and their impact on compassion towards prisoners

Contents: The dataset contains online survey responses from HMPPS employed prison officers, including demographics, exposure to work‑related stress/trauma, and scores on five psychometrics: Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL‑5), Neuroception of Psychological Safety (NPSS), Nature Contact (NCQ), Fear of Compassion (FoC), and Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory traits (RSTPQ‑sv).

Method of collection/creation: Data were collected via an online survey administered to a purposive sample of active‑duty residential‑wing prison officers across 18 Category C public prisons. Inclusion criteria required ≥12 months’ service and day‑shifts over the recent working week. Measures assessed psychological safety, compassion‑related fears, approach/avoidance motivation, nature contact, professional quality of life, demographic characteristics, and exposure to traumatic or stressful work events. Subscales with poor reliability or theoretical misalignment (FoC self/from‑others; NPSS social engagement; RSTPQ‑sv impulsivity and FFFS) were excluded from analysis.

Date range: Data were collected during the winter months – September 2023 – February 2024.

Update status: The dataset is cross‑sectional, created for this study only, and will not be updated.