NCJ Number
49735
Journal
JOURNAL OF NON-WHITE CONCERNS IN PERSONNEL AND GUIDANCE Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (JANUARY 1973) Pages: 86-94
Date Published
1973
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF THE SELF-DISCLOSURE CHARACTERISTICS OF 30 BLACK AND 30 WHITE INMATES OF A FEDERAL PENITENTIARY FOUND SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN WILLINGNESS TO SHARE FEELINGS ABOUT SELF AND EVENTS WITH TARGET CONFIDANTS.
Abstract
MATCHED FOR AGE, EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, MARITAL STATUS, AND PAST CRIMINAL HISTORY, THE 60 MALE INMATES OF THE MARION (ILL.) FEDERAL PENITENTIARY WERE ADMINISTERED THE MODIFIED JOURARD SELF-DISCLOSURE SCALE, A 28-QUESTION INSTRUMENT BASED ON TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS THEORY. THE SCALE WAS DESIGNED TO MEASURE THE INMATES' ATTITUDES TOWARD DISCUSSING PERSONAL FEELINGS WITH SPECIFIC CONFIDANTS: SELF, CASEWORKERS, EXPERTS IN THE FIELD (STAFF PSYCHIATRIST, COUNSELOR), CLOSEST INMATE FRIEND, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, WORK SUPERVISORS, FELLOW WHITE INMATES, FELLOW BLACK INMATES, AND FAMILY OR FRIENDS ON THE OUTSIDE. IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH GROUPS FELT RELATIVELY SAFE IN CONSIDERING ISSUES IN THEIR OWN MINDS AND RELATIVELY UNSAFE IN DISCUSSING THEM WITH A NONINTIMATE INMATE. MEMBERS OF BOTH GROUPS FELT MOST COMFORTABLE IN RELATING TO THEIR CLOSEST INMATE FRIEND, FOLLOWED BY AN EXPERT. BOTH GROUPS VIEWED CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AS SECOND TO ANY INMATE FOR RELATING OR REVEALING ISSUES OR FEELINGS. BOTH GROUPS ADMITTED TO CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRIENDS THAN WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL STAFF. THE DATA ALSO INDICATED THAT MEMBERS OF BOTH GROUPS DISTRUSTED MEMBERS OF THE OTHER RACE. DEVIATION FROM THE MEANS WERE MARKEDLY GREATER IN THE WHITE GROUP THAN IN THE BLACK, SUGGESTING THAT THERE WAS MORE DIVERSITY OF SELF-DISCLOSURE WITHIN THE WHITE GROUP. THE FINDINGS SHOWED THAT WHILE BOTH GROUPS MAINTAIN AN UNCOMMUNICATIVE ATTITUDE IN RELATING TO THE TRADITIONAL REHABILITATION STAFFS, BLACKS DISCLOSED RELATIVELY LESS THAN WHITES TO CERTAIN TARGET GROUPS, PARTICULARLY WORK SUPERVISORS. THE DATA IMPLY THAT MANY INMATES HAVE PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ON HOW MUCH THEY WILL DISCLOSE TO CERTAIN POTENTIAL CONFIDANTS. IN THE CASE OF THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER, THIS MEANS MINIMAL DISCLOSURE; IN THE CASE OF THE EXPERT, INMATES ASSUME THEY WILL BE TALKING TO AN ACCEPTING COUNSELOR, AND THIS RESULTS IN OPTIMUM DISCLOSURE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE APPARENT HIGH ACCEPTANCE FOR EXPERTS SUGGESTS A NEED BY THE SOCIAL OFFENDER FOR MORE TRAINED EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELING. ALSO, THE RECRUITMENT OF TRAINED COUNSELORS FROM INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO ENHANCED REHABILITATION EFFORTS. DATA ON THE SELF-DISCLOSURE RESPONSES ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (KBL)