EFFECTS OF SYSTEMATIC HUMAN RELATIONS TRAINING ON INMATE PARTICIPANTS

• NCJ Number: 46299
• Journal: REHABILITATION COUNSELING BULLETIN Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 105-109
• Author(s): E D DAVIS; D K STURGIS; N C BRASWELL
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: American Personnel and Guidance Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS AND IMPLICATONS OF A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE APPLICABILITY OF HUMAN RELATIONS TRAINING IN THE REHABILITATION OF SELECTED INMATES IN A GEORGIA PRISON ARE REPORTED.

Abstract

THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO MEASURE THE EFFECTS OF A COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR INMATES. TWO AREAS OF FUNCTIONING WERE ASSESSED: (1) LEVEL OF DISCRIMINATION; I.E., THE INMATES' ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE FACILITATIVE OR 'HELPING' COMMUNICATION; AND (2) COOPERATIVENESS, BASED ON RESPONSES AND DOCUMENTATION FROM THE INMATES' WORK SUPERVISOR, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AND COUNSELORS. RESEARCHERS HYPOTHESIZED THAT INMATES RECEIVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING WOULD DEMONSTRATE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THEIR LEVELS OF DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN HELPFUL AND NONHELPFUL COMMUNICATION AND THAT, COMPARED WITH A CONTROL GROUP OF INMATES, WOULD MORE OFTEN RECEIVE POSITIVE REPORTS OF COOPERATIVENESS FROM SUPERVISORS. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP CONSISTED OF 16 ADULT MALE OFFENDERS AT THE GEORGIA DIAGNOSTIC AND CLASSIFICATION CENTER IN JACKSON, GEORGIA. A CONTROL GROUP OF 16 WAS RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE REMAINING POPULATION. EACH GROUP WAS GIVEN A DISCRIMINATION TEST. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP THEN UNDERWENT 10 WEEKS OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING FOR 1 AND 1/2 HOURS PER WEEK. THE TRAINING WAS DESIGNED TO HELP THEM LEARN TO DISCRIMINATE VERBAL RESPONSES IN TERMS OF FIVE ELEMENTS: EMPATHIC UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT, GENUINENESS, SELF-DISCLOSURE, AND CONCRETENESS. THEY WERE ALSO TAUGHT TO RATE THEIR OWN COMMUNICATION AND THAT OF OTHERS IN TERMS OF THESE ELEMENTS. THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED NO TRAINING. THE TWO GROUPS HAD CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS OF A TYPICAL DAY. AFTER THE TRAINING PERIOD, EACH GROUP WAS GIVEN THE DISCRIMINATION TEST AGAIN AND WAS EVALUATED BY SUPERVISORS. RESULTS OF THESE SHOWED THAT THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP MEMBERS DID IMPROVE DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN FACILITATIVE AND NONFACILITATIVE COMMUNICATION AND WERE MORE OFTEN RATED AS IMPROVED IN COOPERATIVENESS. AN IMPORTANT IMPLICATION OF THIS RESEARCH IS THAT THE DIRECT TRAINING APPROACH CAN GIVE INMATES A GREATER SENSE OF PERSONAL CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN REHABILITATION. THEY CAN BETTER ADAPT TO THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT, AS WELL AS TO THE COMMUNITY ONCE THEY ARE RELEASED.