NCJ Number
58820
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 145-157
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
FIVE MALE YOUTH, AGED 15 TO 18 YEARS, IN A CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY CLOSED INSTITUTION WERE EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR-CHANGE AGENTS FOR 5 MALE COUNSELORS, CAUSING COUNSELORS TO REDUCE NEGATIVE, AUTHORITATIVE BEHAVIORS.
Abstract
THE YOUTHS AGREED THAT THEY WANTED TO CHANGE NEGATIVE STAFF BEHAVIORS. THREE CHOSE TO WORK ON INCREASING THE COUNSELORS' USE OF 'POSITIVE STROKES' AND DECREASING THE USE OF 'NEGATIVE STROKES.' THE YOUTHS DEFINED A POSITIVE STROKE AS A 'PAT ON THE BACK OR A WORD OF RECOGNITION THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.' TWO CHOSE THE WORK ON DECREASING THE NUMBER OF THREATENING STATEMENTS MADE BY STAFF. BOTH GROUPS COLLECTED BASELINE DATA ON THE BEHAVIORS THEY WISHED TO CHANGE, TALKED WITH THE COUNSELORS ABOUT CHANGE, SHOWED THEM THE DATA ON THE NUMBER OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS OR THREATS, AND COMPLIMENTED THEM WHEN THEY DID CHANGE. THE NUMBER OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS DECREASED, POSITIVE COMMENTS INCREASED. A SECOND TREATMENT WAS NEEDED TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF THREATS. CONTINUOUS DATA COLLECTION WAS CARRIED OUT AND AT THE END OF EACH DAY THE COUNSELORS WERE SHOWN THE RESULTS AND PRAISED FOR CHANGE. THIS REDUCED THE NUMBER OF THREATS TO NEAR ZERO. FOLLOWUP SHOWED THAT THE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS CONTINUED IN MOST CASES. A SERIES OF GRAPHS PRESENT THE STUDY DATA; REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)