NCJ Number
39435
Journal
CRIME ET/AND JUSTICE Volume: 4 Issue: 2-3 Dated: (AUGUST-NOVEMBER 1976) Pages: 125-133
Date Published
1976
Length
9 pages
Annotation
IT HAS FREQUENTLY BEEN REPORTED THAT DELINQUENTS HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO UTILIZE VERBAL SYMBOLIZATION AS A MEANS OF EXPRESSING, UNDERSTANDING, OR CONTROLLING THEIR EMOTIONS.
Abstract
THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRADITIONAL FORMS OF THERAPY COULD BE ENHANCED BY A LABORATORY-BASED BEHAVIOR THERAPY PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TRAIN THEM TO VERBALIZE THEIR FEELINGS AS A RESPONSE-ALTERNATIVE TO ACTING THEM OUT. SPECIFICALLY, IT CONSIDERED WHETHER: (A) FEMALE ADOLESCENT OFFENDERS CAN BE TRAINED TO INCREASE THEIR EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIVENESS THROUGH OPERANT VERBAL CONDITIONING; (B) TRAINING INVOLVING CONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRAINING WITH NON-CONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT; (C) TRAINING IN EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIVENESS WOULD GENERALIZE; SPECIFICALLY, IF TRAINING WOULD ENHANCE EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIVENESS IN A GROUP THERAPY SITUATION; AND (D) TRAINING IN EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIVENESS WOULD IMPROVE OUTCOME OF GROUP THERAPY. STUDY SUBJECTS, ADOLESCENT FEMALE OFFENDERS WHO HAD BEEN ADMITTED TO A SPECIAL UNIT IN A TRAINING SCHOOL COMPLEX FOLLOWING UNSUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT IN OTHER TRAINING SCHOOLS OR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS, WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP OR ONE OF TWO CONTROL GROUPS. THE EXPERIMENTALS RECEIVED VERBAL CONDITIONING SESSIONS IN WHICH EMOTIONAL WORDS WERE CONTINGENTLY REINFORCED. CONTROL GROUP ONE RECEIVED IDENTICAL TRAINING BUT WITH NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT AND CONTROL GROUP TWO RECEIVED NO VERBAL TRAINING. IN SUMMARY, THE RESULTS SUPPORT THE FIRST THREE HYPOTHESES AND YIELD TENTATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE FOURTH. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH OUTCOME EFFECTS WERE IN A FAVOURABLE DIRECTION THEY WERE NOT ENTIRELY AS HAD BEEN PREDICTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...ELW