NCJ Number
145986
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1993) Pages: 336-346
Date Published
1993
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Voluntary and criminal justice-referred substance abuse outpatients at a Texas facility were compared on psychosocial measures associated with treatment receptivity and outcome.
Abstract
Psychosocial profiles were based on the Texas Christian University Self-Rating Form which consists of 11 scales: 1) Self-esteem; 2) Depression; 3) Anxiety; 4) Decision Making; 5) Childhood Problems; 6) Hostility; 7) Risk Taking; 8) Socialization; 9) Assessment of Drug Use Problems; 10) Desire for Help; and 11) Readiness for Treatment. Except on the last three scales, the two groups hardly differed. The criminal justice-referred group scored slightly higher on Decision Making, which can be attributed not to superior decision-making skills, but to inflated self-assessment of such skills. The voluntary group scored higher on the last three scales, which measure attitude toward and motivation for treatment; this reflects their greater likelihood of progressing through the stages of treatment. Criminal justice-referred outpatients thus require special individual attention to compensate for their deficient self-motivation. 1 table and 33 references