NCJ Number
56748
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychology Volume: 33 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 833-838
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
AN EXPERIMENTAL ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE THE SELF-CONCEPTS OF MALE JUVENILE DELINQUENTS BY SHOWING THEM PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEMSELVES ENGAGED IN POSITIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IS DOCUMENTED.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS WERE 30 YOUTHS INCARCERATED AT SPENCER YOUTH CENTER, NASHVILLE, TENN., WHO HAD SCORED LOW ON THE TENNESSEE SELF-CONCEPT SCALE (TSCS). THE SUBJECTS WERE RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS AND WERE TOLD THEY HAD BEEN CHOSEN FOR A SPECIAL PICTURE-TAKING PROJECT. OVER A 5-WEEK PERIOD, ALL OF THE SUBJECTS TOOK PART IN PICTURE-TAKING SESSIONS, IN WHICH THEY POSED AS PARTICIPANTS IN POSITIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS (GREETINGS, COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES, GROUP SPORTS, ETC.). THE EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS RECEIVED COPIES OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS TO PASTE IN SCRAPBOOKS, WHILE CONTROLS WERE TOLD THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE PHOTOS LATER AND WERE GIVEN OTHER PICTURES TO PASTE IN SCRAPBOOKS. AFTER 5 WEEKS, THE SUBJECTS WHO RECEIVED WEEKLY PHOTOGRAPHIC FEEDBACK IMPROVED IN TOTAL SELF-CONCEPT, SOCIAL SELF-CONCEPT, PERSONAL SELF-CONCEPT, IDENTITY, AND SELF-SATISFACTION AS MEASURED BY THE TSCS. THE CONTROLS SHOWED NO POSITIVE CHANGE IN SELF-CONCEPT. COMPARED TO CONTROLS, THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP ALSO SHOWED DECREASED MALADJUSTMENT ON THE TSCS SUBSCALE. COMPARED TO THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP, CONTROLS SHOWED A DECREASE ON THE TSCS BEHAVIOR SUBSCALE. THE FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM WAS USEFUL IN ENHANCING DELINQUENTS' SELF-CONCEPT. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)