NCJ Number
14363
Date Published
1972
Length
73 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF THE IDENTITY CRISES OF ADOLESCENCE, CONDUCTED BY MEANS OF AN UNSTRUCTURED TEST OF SELF-ATTITUDES ADMINISTERED DURING PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH FEMALE BORSTAL RESIDENTS.
Abstract
THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF SELF-CONCEPT, LABELING, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IS FIRST DISCUSSED. TO ASSESS THE SELF CONCEPT OF JUVENILE GIRLS IN BORSTAL, A TEST, CALLED THE 'WHO AM I' (WAI) TEST WAS ADMINISTERED. THE TEST CONSISTS OF A PAGE WITH 20 BLANK LINES, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO WRITE AS MANY DIFFERENT ANSWERS AS POSSIBLE TO THE QUESTION 'WHO AM I' AS POSSIBLE. IT WAS PREDICTED THAT THIS GROUP WOULD REVEAL A LOW SELF CONCEPT. TESTS WERE ALSO ADMINISTERED TO A CONTROL GROUP OF GIRLS WORKING OR GOING TO SCHOOL IN CITIES THROUGHOUT NEW ZEALAND. RESPONSES TO THE TEST WERE CLASSED ACCORDING TO GOOD, DOUBTFUL, OR POOR SELF-IMAGES. STRENGTH OF SOCIAL ANCHORAGE WAS FOUND TO BE LOWER FOR BORSTAL GROUPS THAN CONTROL GROUPS. GOOD SELF IMAGE WAS FOUND FOR THOSE GIRLS EXHIBITING HIGH INTELLIGENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN SCHOOL, AS WELL AS GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE. POOR SELF IMAGES WERE FOUND IN THOSE WITH PHYSICAL HANDICAPS, BUT WAS NOT RELATED TO OFFENSE RECORDS. HOWEVER, THOSE WITH POOR SELF-IMAGES WERE FOUND TO BE MORE LIKELY TO BE RECONVICTED.