GROUP COUNSELING AND ANTI-SOCIAL CHILDREN - A SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY PERSPECTIVE (FROM BASIC READINGS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, 1976 BY CLYDE V MARTIN - SEE NCJ-46337)

• NCJ Number: 46338
• Author(s): J S WODARSKI
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Martin Psychiatric Research Foundation, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

BASIC BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PRINCIPLES WHICH CAN BE USED IN WORKING WITH GROUPS OF ANTISOCIAL CHILDREN ARE REVIEWED, AND BEHAVIORAL TERMS AND TECHNIQUES WHICH THE COUNSELOR CAN USE ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TREATMENT DOES NOT FOCUS ON THE INTERNAL CAUSES OF BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS UNCONSCIOUS HOSTILITIES, INADEQUATE EGO CONTROLS, OR UNRESOLVED OEDIPAL CONFLICTS. INSTEAD, ITS GOAL IS THE ALTERATION OF MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERNED THE LEARNING OF THAT BEHAVIOR. WITH ANTISOCIAL CHILDREN IT IS ASSUMED THAT (1) SUCH CHILDREN ARE DEFICIENT IN PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS BECAUSE THEIR ENVIRONMENTS HAVE NOT PROVIDED SUFFICIENT PROSOCIAL REINFORCEMENTS AND/OR (2) THE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS EXHIBITED ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO CORRESPONDING INVIRONMENTAL REINFORCEMENT. THE KEY TO BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IS THE RELATIONSHIP FORMED BETWEEN COUNSELOR AND CLIENT. THE COUNSELOR MUST ALSO BE AWARE THAT REWARDS WITHIN THE GROUP SITUATION ARE CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY COMPARED TO REWARDS OUTSIDE THE GROUP AND THAT THE LEARNING DOES NOT TAKE PLACE IN A VACCUM TECHNIQUES WHICH HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE ARE SUCH POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS AS PRAISE, ATTENTION, MONEY, FOOD, TELEVISION PRIVILEGES, AND A HOST OF OTHER DESIRED ACTIVITIES. TIMEOUT PROCEDURES, REMOVING THE CHILD FROM THE GROUP, CAN BE TWO-EDGED, AS THE CHILD OFTEN WELCOMES BEING REMOVED. SHAPING IS THE GRADUAL INTRODUCTION OF A NEW PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS A STUDY PERIOD. THIS PERIOD CAN THEN BE LENGTHENED. SINCE CHILDREN SELDOM OPERATE IN A ONE-TO-ONE SITUATION IN THEIR REGULAR WORLD, BUT INSTEAD IN PEER GROUPS, A GROUP THERAPY SITUATION IS ESPECIALLY VALUABLE FOR BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION THERAPY. THERE IS LESS PROBLEM TRANSFERRING LESSONS LEARNED IN THE GROUP TO NONTHERAPY SITUATIONS. ALSO, GROUP CONTINGENCIES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MEMBERS TO REINFORCE EACH OTHER. IF THE REWARD IS SOMETHING WHICH THE ENTIRE GROUP MUST ACHIEVE, PEER PRESSURE FOR PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR CAN BECOME JUST AS STRONG AS PEER PRESSURE FOR ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR WAS FORMERLY. AS THE GROUP DEVELOPS VALUABLE REINFORCING PROPERTIES, ITS EFFECTIVENESS AS A CHANGE AGENT IS LIKELY TO BE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)