acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

This exploratory study examined delinquency among the Seminole Indians of Florida. First, it measured a variety of delinquent acts committed by Seminole youths residing on and off the three Florida Reservations. Second, it applied concepts central to social control theory. The control variables examined were attachment, commitment, and belief The data came from one primary source, a self-administered questionnaire anonymously filled out by youths aged 10 to 17. The 129 completed questionnaires represent 70 percent of the Seminole youth population in that age range. Even though the findings are known to underrepresent delinquency in the population, the self report data reflected very high rates of delinquency on all three Reservations. In addition to statistical data, unstructured interviews were used to provide illustration The study found that Seminole youths who commit delinquent acts are free to do so inasmuch as they believe that their behavior is not wrong and that the consequences for their law-breaking will not be severe Further, the findings suggest that conventional ideas about bicultural socialization and Indian marginality must be questioned. Seminole youth have skillfully acquired functional behaviors for both Indian and non-Indian cultures and may be viewed as transcultural / acase@tulane.edu

The study was designed to develop and explicate the Personal Development Seminar, to empirically test its efficacy for enhancing the self concept of seminar participants, and to examine their assessment of the experience A pre-test--post-test control group design was used to test self concept change. The Tennessee Self Concept Scale was employed as the measuring instrument. A self-report questionnaire was used to obtain the participants' evaluations of the experience. Experimental subjects participated in the Personal Development Seminar which consisted of 8 weekly sessions of 2 hours duration, led by the researcher Seventeen staff members of a Jewish Community Center and 8 university students comprised the two experimental groups of the study; the respective control groups were composed of 19 staff members from a similar Jewish Community Center and 6 students from the same university The results of the study indicated that participation in the Personal Development Seminar did not change self concept at the accepted level of significance (0.05). A possible positive trend in the mean scores of the experimental groups not evidenced in the control groups was noted, though viewed cautiously. Examination of the Questionnaire responses indicated that a preponderance of the participants considered the seminar helpful and recommended it for others Modifications that may enhance the utility of the seminar are suggested and directions for further research are offered / acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

This study assessed the value of Goal Attainment Scaling as a program evaluation devise. It also assessed the effects of Goal Attainment Scaling on therapist behavior and treatment outcomes for emotionally disturbed children in group homes. Thirty three children, ages 11 to 19, residing in 3 group homes were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. Group home therapists collaboratively set three month treatment goals with the experimental subjects. Comparable goals were set for the control group residents by the group home treatment team. In weekly sessions, therapists for the experimental subjects were instructed to include three specific references to treatment goals and give feedback on level of goal attainment. Residents in the control group received insight oriented psychotherapy. To assess the effects of Goal Attainment Scaling on therapist behavior, random samples of taped therapy sessions were scored using an interval recording system. Significantly higher rates of therapist goal statements, client goal statements and client self-reinforcing statements were found in experimental group sessions. No significant differences occurred between the two treatment groups on level of goal attainment. No significant correlations were found between goal attainment scaling scores and staff rating systems for overall adjustment and progress / acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu