NCJ Number
216012
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 50 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2006 Pages: 294-305
Date Published
June 2006
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study adapted the Personal Concerns Inventory (PCI), which assesses motivation to change, for use with offender populations and assessed its suitability.
Abstract
The results suggest that the PCI can be successfully adapted to both assess and enhance motivation to change (readiness for treatment) among offender populations. The findings indicated that the adapted PCI identified similar motivational structures in offenders as the original PCI identified in drug addicted populations. The adapted PCI also appeared to be a useful motivational enhancement tool for offenders entering treatment. The research involved amending the original PCI to include questions pertinent to offender populations. Specifically, two questions were added that asked respondents to identify concerns about their offending behavior and concerns about their current living arrangements, the latter of which was designed to tap attitudes about detention. The last two rating scales of the PCI were changed to refer to offending behavior instead of drug or alcohol use. Participants in the study were 11 men incarcerated in Cardiff Prison in the United Kingdom who were interviewed using the adapted PCI. The most commonly identified concerns about the 11 offenders related to self-change and relationships with others. Offenders' PCI scores showed both adaptive and maladaptive profiles. Future research is necessary to determine the psychometric properties of the adapted PCI. Tables, references