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In the ESL classroom, there are often cultural differences between learners and teachers. Sometimes these differences can lead to misunderstandings or even conflict. One area where differences between cultures can be seen is language learning strategies and styles. This study explores the possibility that awareness of differences, explicit teaching, and negotiation may help to resolve differences. This study looks at differences between Russian-speaking adult ESL learners and American ESL teachers, with respect to strategy use and preferences. Three aspects are investigated. The first is to see whether there are statistically significant differences ~tween these groups of learners and teachers. The second is to try to form a loose profile of the learners as a cultural group. The third is to see whether or not there is evidence to suggest the validity of explicit teaching of strategies in the ESL classroom. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learners (SIIL), developed by Rebecca Oxford, is one way to assess differences ~tween learners and teachers. A survey including the SIIL and a questionnaire was given to ninety-four subjects. Forty-seven are Russian-speaking adult ESL learners and forty-seven are American-English-speaking ESL teachers or potential ESL teachers taken from a TESOL program. The results of the survey show that, in this case, there are statistically significant differences in preferences for and use of several sets of strategies. A preliminary cultural profile is derived from the SILL results and from anecdotal evidence gathered from the questionnaire. There is some evidence that the explicit teaching of language learning strategies and their use may help resolve some of the classroom conflicts between the two groups studied.

Psychological assessment of mentally disordered offenders requires a systematic consideration of response styles, including malingering and defensiveness. Important components of these evaluations are standardized diagnostic interviews. However, the ability of offenders to feign mental disorders on such measures to achieve such external incentives as treatment, placement on safer units, or possible release from jail remains uninvestigated. With a known-groups comparison with the data from the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms as a criterion, 24 suspected malingerers were compared to 64 genuine patients on the Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS), the abbreviated SADS-C, the Suicide Probability Scale, and the Referral Decision Scale.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1985.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1985.

This study investigated the efficacy of bibiliotherapy in a correctional setting. Bibliotherapy (the utilization of books, pamphlets, or other literature) has been recommended as an adjunct to psychotherapy when professional time was at a premium or when the motivational level of the clientele was marginal. The experimental problem of this present study was to assess the usefulness of bibliotherapy in coping with psychological problems found within the correctional setting. This investigation was designed to explore the effects of two self-help packets on two diverse prison populations.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

Psychologists and other mental health professionals working in correctional institutions bear the considerable responsibility for identifying, diagnosing, and treating mentally disordered inmates. The importance of these responsibilities has been recognized in recent years because of the burgeoning population of inmates in general and the higher numbers of inmates with mental illness in particular. Research has demonstrated that the screens currently used in correctional settings to identify mentally disordered and suicidal inmates are either unvalidated or generally ineffective. This study investigates the validity of different mental health screens in a jail population. Inmates from the Grayson County Jail were administered three screens: the Referral Decision Scale (RDS), Personality Assessment Screener (PAS), and the Mental Disability/Suicide Intake Screen (MDSIS). Criterion measures were the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS) for Axis I disorders and the Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) for suicidal ideation. Results indicate that each screen most effectively assessed one clinical domain: the RDS for psychosis, the MDSIS for suicidality, and the PAS for depression. Gender differences were observed in screen items most effective for classifying inmates by suicide risk level.

As a consequence of increased awareness and the current scholarly debate regarding women's differential predictors of recidivism, criminal justice agencies are working with researchers in the field to expand their knowledge in this area. In 2007, Portland State University researchers in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Corrections conducted an investigation of factors emerging in the pathways and gender responsive literature as predictive of women's recidivism in a randomly selected sample of female (n=150) and male (n=150) inmates. This study used information gathered from that investigation for two purposes: (1) to assess the prevalence rates of victimization experiences (childhood, adolescent and adulthood), substance abuse and mental health diagnosis across male and female ODOC inmates, and (2) to assess the predictive nature of victimization experiences, substance abuse and mental health diagnoses on recidivism across gender after a three year period. Findings suggest that females suffered from higher rates of victimization experiences throughout their lifetime than male ODOC inmates and higher rates of DSM-IV-TR mood and anxiety diagnosis. Similar rates were found across gender when assessing substance abuse and diagnosis of co-occurring disorders. When assessing the predictive impact of victimization, substance abuse and mental health diagnosis on recidivism this study found support for both gender neutral and gender responsive perspectives.

This thesis is an evaluation of two coping skills programs and their effects on inmates' mental health status. The original computer coping skills program designed for the general population was modified to address the specific needs of an incarcerated population.This thesis evaluated the differences in the mental health status of the two treatment groups compared with the control group and with each other to assess the effectiveness of the two programs. The results of this study showed substantial improvement in the mental health status for the two treatment groups. There are indications from this study that specialty software designed specifically for inmates may result in lower levels of depression than non-tailored software.