NCJ Number
63362
Date Published
1977
Length
146 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTENSIVE, SHORT-TERM TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS TRAINING (TA) IN DECREASING INMATES' STATES OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND HOSTILITY.
Abstract
THE ONLY CRITERIA FOR SUBJECT PARTICIPATION IN THE STUDY WERE CONVICTION FOR A FELONY AND A REMAINING SENTENCE OF AT LEAST 2 MONTHS. THE 30 VOLUNTEER INMATES WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THREE GROUPS: (1) GROUP I, RECEIVED 10 HOURS OF TA TRAINING AND 30 HOURS OF CALM, RATIONAL GROUP THERAPY; (2) GROUP II RECEIVED 10 HOURS OF TA TRAINING AND 30 HOURS OF GAME THERAPY (EXTREME CONFRONTATION); AND (3) GROUP III SERVED AS A CONTROL GROUP, WITH SUBJECTS NOT RECEIVING ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP COUNSELING FOR THE DURATION OF THE 5-WEEK EXPERIMENT. SUBJECTS WERE EVALUATED BEFORE AND AFTER TA TREATMENT WITH ROTTER'S INTERNAL-EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL SCALE (1966) AND THE MULTIPLE AFFECT ADJECTIVE CHECKLIST (1965). RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE INMATES WHO RECEIVED TA TOOK MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND CONTROL OVER THEIR LIVES POST TRAINING, AS REFLECTED IN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THEIR INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL SCORES. THE TREATMENT ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION LEVELS OF SUBJECTS. HARSH CONFRONTATION DID SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE DEPRESSION AND INCREASED THE INMATES' SENSE OF HAVING CONTROL OVER THEIR LIVES; IT DID NOT, HOWEVER, REDUCE ANXIETY OR HOSTILITY. NO UNDESIRABLE SIDE EFFECTS WERE NOTED IN THE BEHAVIOR OF INMATES WHO EXPPERIENCED HARSH CONFRONTATION. SUBJECTS IN BOTH EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS WERE GENERALLY MORE FRIENDLY, SELF-CONFIDENT, AND MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THEIR FUTURE AFTER THE TA EXPERIENCE. BEFORE ANY DEFINITIVE STATEMENTS CAN BE MADE ABOUT THESE RESULTS, FURTHER REPLICATIONS SHOULD BE PERFORMED. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED. THE APPENDIXES PROVIDE SAMPLES OF MATERIALS USED IN THE STUDY, ALONG WITH A CONTENT PERSPECTIVE OF TA TRAINING. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)