PEER JUDGMENTS OF PAROLE SUCCESS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED HEROIN ADDICTS - PERSONALITY CORRELATES AND VALIDITY

• NCJ Number: 45465
• Journal: Journal of Counseling Psychology Volume: 21 Issue: 6 Dated: (1974) Pages: 511-515
• Author(s): J J PLATT; W C SCURA
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Sale Source: Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

VALIDITY OF PEER JUDGMENTS AS PREDICTORS OF PAROLE SUCCESS IN HEROIN ADDICTS IS EXAMINED; PEER JUDGMENTS WERE CORRECT IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CASES.

Abstract

A GROUP OF 89 INMATES OF AN INSTITUTIONAL NARCOTICS TREATMENT PROGRAM WERE EACH ASKED TO PREDICT THE PAROLE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THEIR PEERS; THESE JUDGMENTS WERE THEN COMPARED WITH ACTUAL PAROLE RECORDS AT 6 AND 15 MONTHS FOLLOWING RELEASE. THE INMATES WITH SUCCESS SCORES OF 15 OR MORE HAD A 68.8 PERCENT PAROLE SUCCESS RATE. THIS WAS SIGNIFICANT AT THE .007 LEVEL. THE ACCURACY RATE FOR THOSE AT THE LOWER END OF THE SCALE WAS 48.8 PERCENT. AT THE 15-MONTH CHECK THOSE AT THE HIGH END CONTINUED TO HAVE GOOD RECORDS. HOWEVER, ONLY ONE OF THOSE AT THE LOW END HAD SUCCEEDED. SIGNIFICANT PERSONALITY CORRELATES WERE FOUND AMONG THOSE WHOSE SUCCESS WAS PREDICTED BY THEIR PEERS. THEY HAD A GREATER BELIEF IN THEIR OWN LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS, LESS ANOMIE, AN INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL, A GREATER CONCERN WITH GIVING A FAVORABLE SELF-DESCRIPTION, THE DESIRE TO DO WELL AND IMPRESS OTHERS, POISE, SELF-ASSURANCE, AN INTEREST IN AND RESPONSIVENESS TO INTERPERSONAL OBLIGATIONS, AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE. THOSE FREQUENTLY NOMINATED TO SUCCEED HAD HIGHER NEEDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT, WERE LIKELY TO SUSTAIN INTERPERSONAL LEADERSHIP, WERE LIKELY TO PERSIST IN COMPLETING TASKS. THEY ALSO SAW THEMSELVES AS HAVING NEEDS FOR ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING, FOR EXTENDING MATERIAL OR EMOTIONAL BENEFITS TO OTHERS, AND AS SEEKING AND SUSTAINING PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. IN CONTRAST, THOSE SEEN AS FAILURES BY THEIR PEERS HAD GREATER ANOMIE, AN EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL, AND TENDED TO BE IMPULSIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO EXHIBITED A LACK OF CONTROL OVER THE MORE UNATTRACTIVE ASPECTS OF THEIR PERSONALITIES. THEY ALSO TRIED TO SOLICIT SYMPATHY OR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FROM OTHERS AND EXPRESSED FEELINGS OF INFERIORITY. THE USE OF PEER JUDGMENTS TO PREDICT SUCCESS IS CURRENTLY BEING STUDIED ALONG WITH TEST SCORES, PERSONAL HISTORIES, AND OTHER MORE CONVENTIONAL MEASURES. (GLR)