NCJ Number
45580
Journal
CORRECTIVE AND SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY AND JOURNAL OF BEHAVIOR TECHNOLOGY METHODS AND THERARY Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 6-12
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A 40-HOUR INTERPERSONAL SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR STAFF AND INMATES IN A TEXAS INSTITUTION RESULTED IN INCREASED EMPATHY SCORES, ESPECIALLY AMONG INMATES.
Abstract
PRECOURSE AND POSTCOURSE MEASUREMENTS WERE USED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EMPATHY TRAINING FOR CASE WORKERS, CORRECTIONAL GUARDS, AND INMATES IN A MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON. EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS CONSISTED OF 21 PERSONS EACH, SELECTED FROM THE FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AT LA TUNA, TEX. THE COURSE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS USED FOR MEASUREMENT ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. POSTTEST SCORES WERE 45 PERCENT HIGHER THAN PRETEST SCORES. ANALYSIS BY GROUPS SHOWED THAT THE TRAINING HAD THE GREATEST EFFECT ON INMATES, THE SMALLEST EFFECT ON GUARDS. COMPARISON WITH THE CONTROL GROUPS SHOWED THAT CASE WORKERS IN BOTH GROUPS HAD HIGH INITIAL EMPATHY SCORES WHICH PROBABLY ACCOUNTS FOR THE SMALL POSTCOURSE GAIN. COMPARISON WITH THE CONTROL GROUP OF INMATES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN EMPATHY AMONG INMATES WHO HAD TAKEN THE COURSE. GUARDS SHOWED THE SMALLEST RESPONSE. TRAINING IS RECOMMENDED AS THE PREFERRED WAY OF IMPROVING THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT DRAMATIC GAINS CAN BE MADE IN EMPATHY SKILLS BY SUCH PROGRAMS.