BIBLIOTHERAPY WITHIN A CORRECTIONAL SETTING

KENNETH J. KOHUTEK*

United States PenitentiaryMarion. Illinois

Evaluated the psychotherapeutic adjunct of bibliotherapy in a maximumsecurity correctional setting with 54 volunteers from a general and segrega-tion population. Results indicated no differences between the treatmentmethods, but significant increases in self-concept and internal locus of con-trol with an interaction on the dependent measure of Chance locus of con-trol. There were no significant effects on the dependent variables as a resultof the level of participation of the volunteers. It was concluded thatbibliotherapy may have a facilitative effect on self-concept and internal locusof control, but cannot be differentiated from the effects of therapist interven-tion.

The traditional psychotherapeutic techniques of group and individual psy-chotherapy have a number of disadvantages within a correctional setting. These includethe small number of inmates whom the programs reach (Geller, Johnson, Hamlin, &Kennedy, 1977), the stigma often attached to such programs (Scheckenbach, 1974), andthe general lack of trust among inmate populations (Scott, 1977). Another problem per-tinent to correctional settings as well as most psychotherapeutic settings concerns thelack of standardization of variables to be measured (Reppucci & Clingempeel, 1979).

One technique that could be utilized to overcome the above-listed obstacles isbibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy is defined as attempts to "change faulty attitudes and to in-fluence poor motivation to more constructive motivation in certain patients through theassigned readings of articles, pamphlets, and books [Wolberg, 1967, p. 905]."Bibliotherapy appears particularly appropriate for prison populations because of itsrecommended usage for individuals who are either not motivated adequately for therapyor who may require more insight prior to therapy. This treatment modality incursnominal cost of professional time in that therapist intervention can be reduced to as littleas no contact at all during the initial phase of treatment (Glasgow & Rosen, 1978).Further, the potential stigma related to weekly meetings with a therapist may be ob-viated because the bulk of work is completed away from the therapy sessions andtherapeutic encounters are brief. The fact that many inmates are avid readers (Schecken-bach, 1974) enhances the feasibility ofthis approach, which already has demonstrated itsefficacy for a number of issues addressed in psychotherapy, including self-concept(Zinter, 1974), weight loss and test anxiety (Glasgow & Rosen, 1978), and education-related problems in a correctional setting (Clements & McKee, 1968).

This study assessed the efficacy of bibliotherapy in aiding incarcerated individuals tomake a positive change in their self-concept and locus of control. These two constructswere selected because the literature suggests that both are changed adversely during thecourse of incarceration. Fichtler, Zimmerman, and Moore (1973), for instance, reportedthat positive self-concept decreases during incarceration, and Levenson (1975) reported asimilar reduction in internal locus of control.

It was hypothesized that: (I) the nature of reading material will influence themeasured dependent variables; (2) volunteers from the general population will experiencea more positive change than those on segregation status; (3) volunteers rated as high-levelparticipants will experience a more positive change than low-level participants.

'Opinions expressed in this manuscript are those of the author and not of the Federal Prison System.

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METHOD

SubjectsSs were 54 volunteer male inmates incarcerated at a maximum security federal

penitentiary, half of whom were from the general population and half from a segregationunit. The average age of the sample was 34.5 years, with an average sentence of 15 years.The ethnic ratio was 67% Caucasian, 26% black, with the remaining 7% of Hispanic, In-dian, or Oriental extraction. The average IQ as measured by the Beta was 112. A total of12 volunteers had been excluded because they either chose not to complete the study,their institutional status was changed during the study, or they had been diagnosed aspsychotic within 1 year prior to the commencement of this study.

The majority of inmates housed in the segregation unit were there because of aserious infraction of institutional policies. Some, however, were placed on this status attheir request for protective purposes. Generally, those inmates on segregation status wereconsidered to have a series of problems in adjusting to a correctional setting and wereseen as a disruptive factor in the institution.

MaterialsThe materials consisted of three sets of readings: A personal growth packet, a

rational-growth packet, and a general readings packet. The personal-growth packet con-sisted of the text Human psychology: Experiments in awareness (Howard, 1972). This isa structured workbook designed to help the reader gain insight into personal thoughtsand feelings by having him examine past recollections, personal relationships, and in-trapersonal confiicts. The rational-growth packet consisted of a selection of the personal-growth packet plus the book You and your emotions (Maultsby & Hendricks, 1974). Theliterature for the general readings consisted of novels that were selected because of theirrelevance to mental health issues, but nonspecificity on self-help techniques.

MeasuresThe dependent measures consisted of Levenson's Locus of Control Scale (Levenson,

1974) and the Personal Attribute Inventory (Parish, Bryant, & Shirazi, 1976). TheLevenson Locus of Control Scale, which consists of 24 Likert-type items, is divided intothree scales: Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance. The scale has been utilizedpreviously in a correctional setting, and it seemed particularly appropriate for in-stitutionalized individuals because of the breakdown of the external locus of control fac-tor into the dimensions of Powerful Others and Chance.

The Personal Attribute Inventory consists of 100 adjectives selected from the Adjec-tive Checklist (Gough, 1960). There are 50 positive and 50 negative adjectives, fromwhich the respondents select 30 that are most descriptive of themselves. It is used as ameasure of self-concept and is a brief, concise, and relatively unobtrusive instrument.

ProcedureInmates housed in the prison population and segregation units were informed by

written memorandum that a self-help packet was being implemented on a pilot basis andthat volunteers were being sought to provide the feedback on its feasibility. Volunteerswere administered the IQ pretreatment and were rank-ordered on the basis of their IQscores and matched across treatment groups. Three bibliotherapy groups—rational-growth, personal-growth, and control—were formed from the general prison populationand segregation unit for a total of six groups. Groups were provided with the appropriatereading material (the control group received the general readings packet) for a 4-weektreatment period.

All 5s completed the Levenson Locus of Control scale and the Personal AttributeInventory pretreatment immediately after treatment and at a 6-week follow-up. 5s were

922 Journal of Clinical Psychology, November. 1983, Vol. 39, No. 6

interviewed once a week to clarify any questions they might have on the reading materialand to make certain that satisfactory progress was being made toward the completion ofthe readings. Data were analyzed by an analysis of variance with repeated measures withthree treatment methods, three testing periods, and two treatment groups.

RESULTS

A significant effect was found between the testing periods for both self-concept (F =16.79, p <.O5) and internal locus of control (F = 3.38,/? <.O5). A significant interactionwas found on the Chance scale between the treatment methods and treatment groups (F= 3.28, p <.O5). A Duncan's Multiple Range Test applied to the testing period means ofthe self-concept variable showed that the pretreatment data differed significantly {p<.O5) from both the posttreatment and follow-up data. This finding indicated that therewas an increase in self-concept scores during the treatment phase that remained throughthe follow-up.

The change across testing periods on the internal locus of control scale also was ex-amined by Duncan's Multiple Range test. No differences between the pretreatment andfollow-up or the posttreatment and follow-up were found. However, a statistically signifi-cant difference (p <.O5) existed between the pretreatment and posttreatment data. Thisindicated that an increase in internal locus of control occurred during treatment, but wasnot sustained through the follow-up period.

The interaction between treatment methods and groups for the dependent measureof Chance locus of control was examined by an F test for simple effects. A significantdifference was found to exist between the rational-growth readings and the generalreadings on the two treatment groups (F = 5.53,/? <.O5). Duncan's Multiple Range testrevealed a significant difference (p <.O5) between the rational-growth groups in thesegregation unit and in the general population; the general population benefitted morefrom this set of readings than the participants on segregation status. There was also asignificant difference {p <.O5) between the general readings group and the rational-growth readings in the segregation unit. ^

DISCUSSION

The first hypothesis, which stated that the rational-growth and personal-growthgroups would demonstrate a positive change greater than the general readings group onthe variables of self-concept and locus of control for internal, powerful others, andchance, was not supported. Regardless of reading material, a positive change was foundon both variables. Due to the conceptual differences among the reading materials, theresult of no difference is somewhat surprising in that the general-readings group evincedas great a change on the variables as did the structured therapeutic self-help methods.The positive change could have occurred merely as a function of the experimental atten-tion and may support the adage that "anything is better than nothing." These results aresimilar to those of Macomber (1975), who found no differences on personality tests orfrequency of institutional infractions among inmates who were participating in grouppsychotherapy, a Bible seminar, or Alcoholics Anonymous. Though no significant resultsare achieved on the dependent measures, it is noteworthy that 7 of the participants in therational-growth and personal-growth groups requested additional appointments with thestaff psychologist. None of the general readings group requested more material or ap-pointments. It may be that the long-term effects of the self-help packets surpassed theresults of a paper-and-pencil test.

The second hypothesis, which stated that participants in the general populationwould demonstrate a more positive change on the dependent measures than those onsegregation status, was supported partially in that there was an interaction effect between

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treatment methods and groups for the dependent measure of chance locus of control. Thehigh chance score achieved by the rational-growth group on segregation status indicatedthat these inmates attribute a larger number of the events that occur in their life to fate orchance. This could be explained in part by the fact that inmates on segregation status, incontrast to the general population, are confronted with a number of dissonant percep-tions. One is that they generally perceive themselves as being in control of their lives, yetthey find themselves confined to a cell most of the time. If they are truly in control of thesituation, they must tell themselves that they place themselves in confinement and arekeeping themselves in that situation. Faced with this dilemma, they tend to justify theirsituation as a result of fate, therefore relieving themselves of responsibility and, at thesame time, attributing no credit or strength to those who have them incarcerated.

The presentation of the rational readings, which stress the responsibility of the in-dividual, may have prompted a certain amount of denial, which accounted for the overallhigh score on the chance scale in the rational-growth group in the segregation unit. Thedifference between the general readings group and rational readings in the segregationunit may be accounted for by assuming that the general readings are less threatening.The main prison population may be less defensive about the topic in that they have morefreedom and, therefore, can benefit more from the principles of rational growth.

The third hypothesis, which stated that high-level participants would demonstrate amore positive change on the dependent variables than low-level participants, was not sup-ported. This variable also could have been an experimental artifact in that every partici-pant who completed the study was a higher-level participant than those who did notvolunteer to participate or failed to complete the study.

One of the difficulties incurred in conducting this study involved the stigma of offer-ing a psychological program within a correctional setting of this nature. There is often atendency for the inmate population to avoid any programs offered by the institutionbecause of peer pressure. Bibliotherapy's claim notwithstanding, the £ found it ex-tremely difficult to overcome the suspicion that many of the participants had concerningthe test material and the answers to the questions in the self-help packets.

The events that normally occur within a penitentiary also created some difficulty inthat contamination of the findings may exist. During this study the inmate participants'lives were bombarded with a myriad of factors nonrelated to the controlled variables.For example, the longest nonviolent work strike by the inmates in the recent history ofcorrections was one event that occurred and could not be controlled. This event greatlyemphasized staff/inmate polarity, but, fortunately, the cooperation of the volunteerscontinued.

Limitations included the omission of a control group with no treatment or therapistcontact. The impact that the therapist had on the outcome is a topic that requires somescrutiny. It is recommended that future studies not only control for this factor, but alsovary the level of intervention in an attempt to determine more about this variable.

Future studies should consider the outcome of the drop-outs as well as the nonpar-ticipants. This could be accomplished by utilizing behavioral observations other thanpsychological inventories. The number of institutional infractions committed during thestudy is an obvious measure. Still another method could be an evaluation form com-pleted by a staff member who comes in contact with the inmate on a regular basis, suchas a work supervisor or unit officer.

Other factors that may affect the study's outcome include the unsuspected transferof inmates, institutional disturbances, such as work stoppages, that temporarily changethe complexion of the institution and attitudes of all involved, and events that occur in anindividual's life, such as marriage, divorce, and parole. These factors, should they occur,must be considered when bibliotherapy effects are being evaluated.

924 Journal of Clinical Psychology, November, 1983, Vol. 39. No. 6

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