24

This article examines the effectiveness and relevance of the verbal association test in the context of psychological monitoring in a correctional environment. The study analyzes 1,700 verbal associations collected from 17 inmates in a French penal institution. The results are then compared using statistical techniques with those obtained in the research of Guibert and Martin-Tur (2018) and Jung and Riklin (1904). This comparison aims to assess the sensitivity of the test in significantly different life contexts. The findings of this research highlight the potential role of psychoaffective complexes in the psychological monitoring of inmates, acting both as indicators and as structuring elements of the associative process. Moreover, the verbal association test, due to its playful nature, also seems to facilitate and enhance the engagement of inmates with the psychologist.