NCJ Number
57372
Date Published
1979
Length
27 pages
Annotation
THIS DETAILS THE EVOLUTION OF AN ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR DELINQUENT BOYS. ITS PURPOSE WAS TO TEACH TECHNIQUES FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION WHICH WOULD HELP THE BOYS 'SAVE FACE' WHILE AVOIDING AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED AT THE PACIFIC LODGE HOME FOR BOYS, WOODLAND HILLS, CALIF. THIS NONPROFIT INSTITUTION IS LICENSED TO PROVIDE RESIDENCY AND TREATMENT (ABOUT 6 MONTHS PER CLIENT) FOR DELINQUENT ADOLESCENT MALES, MOST OF WHOM ARE COURT-ORDERED PLACEMENTS FROM THE LOS ANGELES AREA. THE FIRST EFFORT USED 30 VOLUNTEER PARTICIPANTS FROM A COTTAGE CONTAINING 66 RESIDENTS. THE BOYS WERE ADMINISTERED PRETESTS ON AN ASSERTIVENESS RATING SCALE AND ASSIGNED TO GROUPS FOR ASSERTION TRAINING, MINIMUM TREATMENT, AND NO TREATMENT BASED ON THEIR SCORES. AFTER THE 8-WEEK TRAINING SESSION DURING WHICH BOYS WERE REWARDED FOR ACCEPTABLE ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR AND ENCOURAGED TO BE MORE EFFECTIVELY AGGRESSIVE IN COUNSELING AND ROLE PLAYING SESSIONS, POSTTESTS WERE ADMINISTERED. THIS GROUP SHOWED A SMALL, BUT INSIGNIFICANT, IMPROVEMENT IN APPROPRIATE ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR WITH A CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN AGGRESSIVE OR WITHDRAWN BEHAVIOR. THE SECOND STUDY MADE MAJOR MODIFICATIONS BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF MODIFICATIONS BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS PIONEER FU' BECAUSE THE MARTIAL ARTS WERE POPULAR WITH THE BOYS AND BECAUSE KUNG FU INCORPORATES PRINCIPLES OF SELF CONTROL. VIDEOTAPED ROLE-PLAYING SESSIONS WERE ADDED TO THE GROUP DISCUSSIONS. THE SESSION TIME INCREASED, MORE FEEDBACK AMONG THE BOYS WAS ENCOURAGED, AND STAFF GAVE OUT RED AND BLUE TOKENS TO HELP THE BOYS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN AGGRESSIVE AND ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR. THE PRINCIPLES OF 'STAND TALL,' 'THINK SMART,' AND 'BE SELF-CONTROLLED' WERE DEVELOPED. THIS GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT, AS DID A SUBSEQUENT THIRD GROUP INVOLVING MORE COTTAGES. THE PROGRAM IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL, AND SAMPLE CONFLICT RESOLUTION APPROACHES ARE PRESENTED. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)