EXAMINATION OF SOME PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED DELINQUENT DRUG USERS AND NONUSERS

• NCJ Number: 10257
• Author(s): J D SCHOELL; H E TUPKER
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Iowa Training School for Boys
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

ASSESSMENT OF ADOLESCENTS COMMITTED TO THE IOWA TRAINING SCHOOL FOR BOYS.

Abstract

DRUG-USING AND NONUSING DELINQUENTS WHO WERE COMMITTED TO THE SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME WERE COMPARED AS TO PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS. THEY WERE ALSO COMPARED ON SUCH MEASURES AS TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFENSES, IQ, AGE, AND GPA. RESULTS OF THE STUDY INDICATE THAT 'DRUG USERS HAVE MORE DISREGARD FOR SOCIETAL RULES, LESS ANXIETY, MORE MATURE ATTITUDES, AND LESS TENDENCY TO REPRESS NEGATIVE FEELINGS THAN NONUSERS. NONUSERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE MORE FAVORABLE SELF IMAGES AND REGARD THEMSELVES AS HAVING CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR FAMILIES. NONUSERS WERE FOUND TO HAVE COMMITTED A GREATER NUMBER OF OFFENSES THAN USERS. CHARACTERISTICS OF DELINQUENT DRUG USERS SUGGEST THAT IT WILL PROBABLY BE A MORE DIFFICULT TASK TO WORK WITH THEM THAN WITH DELINQUENTS WHO ARE NOT USERS. ONE REASON IS THAT FAMILIES WILL BE LESS OF A RESOURCE IN THE REHABILITATION OF DELINQUENT DRUG USERS.' (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)