NCJ Number
49410
Date Published
1959
Length
309 pages
Annotation
PERSONALITY ASSESSMENTS PLUS DIRECT OBSERVATIONS OF GROUP SESSIONS WERE USED TO ANALYZE THE INTERACTION PROCESS AND SOCIOMETRIC RELATIONSHIPS OF MALE OFFENDERS ON PROBATION IN SHORT-TERM NONDIRECTIVE THERAPY.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AT THE BROOKLYN ASSOCIATION FOR THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS (BARO) CIVIC CENTER AND CLINIC AND AT THE OFFICES OF THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT OF THE KINGS COUNTY, NEW YORK, COURT. A GROUP OF 8 WHITE AND A GROUP OF 8 BLACK PROBATIONERS, ALL AGED 16-35 YEARS WITH A READING LEVEL OF 5TH GRADE OR ABOVE, WERE PLACED IN NONDIRECTIVE GROUP THERAPY SIMILAR TO THAT USED ROUTINELY IN THE BARO PROGRAM. THE ONCE-A-WEEK SESSIONS LASTED 90 MINUTES OVER A 15-WEEK PERIOD. A TRAINED OBSERVER USED A TAPE RECORDER AND SOCIOMETRIC DIAGRAMS TO ANALYZE INTERACTIONS AT EACH SESSION. PERSONALITY INVENTORIES WERE GIVEN TO EACH PROBATIONER BEFORE THE STUDY BEGAN, DURING THE SESSIONS, AND AT CONCLUSION. A SPECIAL QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED SEVERAL TIMES FOUND THAT THE PARTICIPANTS GRADUALLY PAID NO ATTENTION TO THE OBSERVER. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ORIENTATION PHASE OF THE THERAPY DID NOT FOLLOW THE PATTERN OF BALES' LABORATORY PROBLEMSOLVING MODEL. EFFORTS AT FINDING EQUILIBRIUM PERSISTED MUCH LONGER AND THERE WAS LESS EFFORT TO CONTROL THE GROUP. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION BETWEEN PARTICIPATION AND ATTITUDE CHANGE, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN THE GROUP ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE THERAPY. THE PARTICIPANTS HAD A FRIENDLY ATTITUDE TOWARD THE OBSERVER, BUT WERE MUCH MORE POSITIVELY ATTACHED TO THE THERAPIST. A SERIES OF SOCIOMETRIC DIAGRAMS DETAIL INTERACTIONS AT EACH SESSION. SESSION NOTES ARE APPENDED. THE PERSONALITY TESTS USED ARE APPENDED AND THE CHANGE DATA ARE TABULATED. IN GENERAL, THE SESSIONS PROVED EFFECTIVE IN DEVELOPING MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD AUTHORITY AND IN LESSENING HOSTILITY. GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED AND THE CHAPTERS ARE HEAVILY FOOTNOTED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)