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RORSCHACH FACTORS IN SUCCESSFUL DAY TREATMENT OF DELINQUENCY

NCJ Number
46093
Author(s)
E A BORUM; R GREER; B MOWRY
Date Published
1972
Length
19 pages
Annotation
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PERSONALITY FUNCTION AND BEHAVIOR ARE EXPLORED IN THIS ANALYSIS OF RORSCHACH SCORES FROM BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT OF TWO GROUPS OF GIRLS, ONE WHICH COMPLETED TREATMENT AND ONE WHICH DID NOT.
Abstract
THE RORSCHACHS IN THIS STUDY WERE GIVEN BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT AT THE GIRLS UNIT FOR INTENSIVE DAYTIME EDUCATION (GUIDE) LOCATED IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA. ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE GRADUATES HAVE HAD NO FURTHER SERIOUS DIFFICULTY WITH THE POLICE. FOR 50 WEEKS THE GIRLS ATTEND GUIDE DURING REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS WHERE THEY STUDY ACADEMIC SUBJECTS, LEARN TO BUDGET, RUN A HOUSEHOLD, GET A JOB, ALL RECEIVE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION FOR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND PERSONAL PROBLEMS. SEVERAL HAVE HAD INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY THERAPY OUTSIDE OF GUIDE AND A FEW ARE IN FOSTER OR GROUP HOMES WHILE IN THE GUIDE PROGRAM. THIS STUDY COMPARES TESTS GIVEN TO 34 GUIDE GRADUATES AND 18 GIRLS ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM WHO LEFT IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. THE SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES HAD HIGHER M, SUPPLEMENTAL FM + M, AND ACHROMATIC SCORES, AND LOWER H + A SCORES. APPARENTLY THEY WERE SUFFERING MORE INTRAPSYCHIC DISCOMFORT THAN GIRLS WHO FAILED IN THE PROGRAM. RETESTS OF THE SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES SHOWED THAT DURING THE GUIDE PERIOD THEY DEVELOPED MORE INSIGHT, GREATER CONTACT WITH FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS, AND HEALTHIER EGO FUNCTIONING. THE GIRLS WITH LITTLE INTRAPSYCHIC DISCOMFORT AND LITTLE CONTACT WITH THEIR OWN DEPENDENCY-AFFECTIONAL NEEDS APPARENTLY HAD LITTLE MOTIVATON TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM. CHARACTERISTICS PREDICTIVE OF SUCCESS IN DAY TREATMENT APPEAR TO BE SIMILAR TO THOSE PREDICTIVE OF SUCCESS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY. THE GROWTH IN EGO STRENGTH OF THE GRADUATES PROBABLY EXPLAINS THEIR ABILITY TO AVOID FUTURE TROUBLE WITH THE POLICE. (FOR RELATED DOCUMENTS, SEE NCJ-46094 TO NCJ-46096).