NCJ Number
86276
Date Published
1981
Length
125 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between specific cognitive deficits and both learning difficulties and the behavioral difficulties of juvenile offenders in order to determine if a brief, intensive program of cognitive education could measurably change the cognitive, educational, and social functioning of adolescent offenders.
Abstract
Incarcerated juvenile offenders with low school achievement scores were randomly assigned to six cognitive education classes and two motivational control classes. Control subjects were treated identically to the others. Classes were held 3 hours a day for 2 consecutive weeks. Significant differential gains by the cognitive education students over the motivational controls on a group intelligence test, Raven's Progressive Matrices, and a subset of the problems indicate that participation in cognitive education led to more effective cognitive functioning. That is, the experimental subjects were able to generalize and transfer what they had learned in their classes to problems that were unlike what they had been taught. Significant behavioral changes in the direction of more appropriate behavior were documented in the cognitive education group through use of double blind ratings by the students' counselors. Finally, the use of individual assessments revealed specific cognitive deficits that characterize this population. Results suggest that a longer period of cognitive education would probably lead to remediation of cognitive deficits, which could then lead to improved learning both academically and socially. Ten tables, 9 reference notes, about 90 references, and study instruments and materials are provided. (Author abstract modified)