Teaching Conversational Social Skills to Delinquent Youth.

摘要: The present study examined the effectiveness of a Positive Talk curriculum in pro moting specific conversational social skills nine female juvenile delinquents. verbal included calling others by name, using manners, making positive statements about self and others, pre sent future. training incorporated components explanation target skills, practice talk vocabulary, modeling, role play ing, performance feedback, transfer training. Sequential application multiple baseline across groups design demonstrated that was suc cessful promoting participants' skills. Systematic programming generalization facilitated from classroom to natural context lunchroom. Social competence is crucial for adolescents involved justice system. Adolescents who are at greater risk delinquency reported have significant difficul ties variety situations such as getting along with peers, teachers, parents, dealing effectively group situations, appropriate choices, perceiving others' viewpoints (Short & Simeonsson, 1986), one's own aggression, stress (Goldstein, 1988). Lack often contributes ado lescents' repeated contacts law enforcement, courts, corrections can lead negative behaviors lying, truancy, manipulating coercing gain control, attention, recognition (Hazel, Schumaker, Sherman, Sheldon-Wildgen, 1982). Frequently, adjudicated not had opportuni ty learn basic socially acceptable contribute development proso cial competence. Poor parenting, family factors, socioeconomic deprivation severely limit experiences these children (Farrington, 1990). While research inconclusive indicating causal relationship between incom petence (Renwick Emler, 1991), there strong evidence supporting view manipulative coercive (Patterson, Reid, Dishion, 1992) or prosocial skill deficiencies Glick, Irwin, Pask-McCartney, Rubama, 1989) related disruptive antisocial behavior. Delinquent behavior manifestation deficits (Freedman, Rosenthal, Donahoe, Schlundt, McFall, 1978) faulty learning processes (McGuire Priestly, 1985) it be changed teaching alternate (Gaffney 1981). A convergence findings indicate many may benefit instruction 1988; Goldstein et al.,1986; Goldstein, Sprafkin, Gershaw, Klein, 1980, 1983). Clearly, delinquent youth enhance likelihood their acceptability success society neces sary successful independent living. (SST) refers direct usually incor porates identification, playing, (Rutherford, DiGangi, Anderson, Chipman, 1992). This approach has been found highly aggressive (Goldstein Pentz, 1984; Knapczyk,1988), emotional behavioral disorders (Hansen, St. Lawrence, Christoff, 1989; Lovejoy Routh, Young, Morgan, Peterson, 1988), delinquents (Hollin, Huff, Clarkson, Edmondson, 1986; Serna, Hazel, Sheldon, 1986). Although SST terms producing immediate change, number studies documenting effects remains limited 294 [Vol. 19 No. 4 294-305] August 1994 Behavioral Disorders content downloaded 157.55.39.161 on Mon, 23 May 2016 05:37:07 UTC All use subject http://about.jstor.org/terms (Rutherford Nelson, Generalization techniques gramming common stimuli, cognitive mediation, having students other situ ations suggested but rarely investigated systematically youth. Finding setting correctional facilities where generalize extremely difficult; result, researchers observed so change contexts relied contrived role-play situa tions measure (Spence Marzillier, Finally, although viewed requisites interacting establishing relationships, obtaining information, functioning (Kelly, 1982; Kelly Hansen, 1987), attention given delin quent purpose this evaluate short-term intensive gram setting. Due high turnover rate short period incarceration corrections, necessary develop program could completed successfully within 3or 4-week period. five-lesson referred implemented.