NCJ Number
181433
Journal
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Dated: 1999 Pages: 315-322
Date Published
1999
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article examines social problem-solving in mentally disordered offenders.
Abstract
Social problem-solving deficits may be implicated in the development and maintenance of aggression and violence. Social problem-solving skills training is, therefore, an important intervention to address this problem. The Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R) was given to 52 patients from a secure psychiatric unit. A pilot social problem-solving intervention was given to nine mentally disordered offenders. The patients in the secure unit did not differ, on the scale, from the norms established for adult psychiatric patients. The nine patients who participated in the pilot study showed improvements on the overall SPSI-R score and two subscales: reduced negative problem orientation and reduced impulsivity/carelessness. Results suggest that social problem-solving skills training may be of value in correcting cognitive deficits and improving self-regulation, and hence reducing aggression and violence in mentally disordered offenders. However, future studies of this approach will need to use larger samples and include control groups. Tables, references