NCJ Number
54377
Date Published
1977
Length
153 pages
Annotation
A SAMPLE OF OFFICERS WHO SCREEN JUVENILES ARE TESTED TO DETERMINE THE TRAINING METHODS MOST EFFECTIVE IN CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF THE ANXIETY PRESENT IN INNER-CITY CHILDREN.
Abstract
STUDIES ARE REVIEWED WHICH SHOW THAT ADULTS CONTACTING INNER-CITY CHILDREN GENERALLY HAVE AN INACCURATE PERCEPTION OF THE HIGH ANXIETY LEVELS PRESENT IN INNER-CITY CHILDREN. IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE TRAINING METHOD FOR REMEDYING THIS CONDITION AMONG POLICE OFFICERS, A POPULATION OF 290 POLICE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO THE JUVENILE AID DIVISION OF A LARGE NORTHEASTERN CITY'S POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS GIVEN PRETESTS AND POSTTESTS TO ASCERTAIN THE EFFECT OF A VARIETY OF TEACHING METHODS ON PERCEPTIONS OF ANXIETY IN INNER-CITY CHILDREN. THE SUBJECTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THREE TREATMENT GROUPS (N=60; N=40; N=46). A CONTROL GROUP NOT RECEIVING ANY TRAINING CONSISTED OF 136 RANDOMLY ASSIGNED OFFICERS. THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE WAS THREE METHODS OF INSTRUCTION WHICH CONSISTED OF A STRAIGHT LECTURE, A LECTURE AND GROUP DISCUSSION WITH REVOCABLE COMMITMENT, AND A LECTURE AND GROUP DISCUSSION WITH IRREVOCABLE COMMITMENT. IRREVOCABLENESS WAS DIFFERENTIALLY INDUCED BY KEEPING THE GROUP MEMBERSHIP INTACT DURING THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE EXPERIMENT. TWO OF THE THREE TREATMENT GROUPS EXPERIENCED CHANGE AS RESULT OF THE TRAINING; HOWEVER, THE LECTURE/REVOCABLE COMMITMENT GROUP FAILED TO EXPERIENCE CHANGE. IT IS BELIEVED THE LOW CREDIBILITY OF THE INSTRUCTOR WAS THE PRINCIPAL FACTOR IN THIS FAILURE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A FUTURE EXPERIMENT MIGHT TEST THE INDUCEMENT OF ATTITUDE CHANGE ON THE COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL LEVELS, AND THEN EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF REINFORCING THIS ATTITUDE CHANGE BEHAVIORALLY OVER TIME. THE APPENDIXES PROVIDE SAMPLES OF THE INSTRUMENTS USED IN THE STUDY, AND DATA OBTAINED FROM THE STUDY ARE REPORTED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS ALSO PROVIDED.