THE EFFECT OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTING AND GUIDED GROUP INTERACTION UPON BEHAV OR D I S 0 R D E RED Y 0 UTH‘S SELF-CO N CE PT*

Wesley Brown, Ph D Ronald F. Kingsley, Ed.D.

Wesley Brown, PhD., is a Lecturer, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire. Ronald F. Kingsley, EdD., is Professor of Special Education, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.

The complex development of self-concept of adolescents is the source of numerous theoretical discussions (particularly Erikson) and of studies focusing on behavior and adjustment. Extensive reviews of studies are reported by authors such as McCandless (1967, 1970) Kaplan (1971), and Wylie (1961). Research studies tend to characterize persons with good self-concepts as better adjusted, more effective in group relations, but with less need for close group affiliations, less anxious, and higher in school achievement.

Research concerned with the discrepancy between the actual (real) and ideal self indicates that the greater the discrepancy, the less adequate the adjustment and the greater the likelihood of delinquency (Calvin and Holtzman, 1953; Taylor a n d Combs, 1952; Coopersmi th , 1959) . Improvement in self-concept is regarded by counselors, psychologists and clinical teachers as indicative of improvement.

Festinger’s ( 1957) “dissonance theory” indicates that inconsistent perceptions, high real-ideal discrepancies of an individual about himself or his environment result in a state of tension, conflict and confusions which he attempts to reduce. Implications of studies employing this theory (Festinger and Carlsmith, 1959; Cohen, Terry and Jones, 1959; Brehm, 1959; Brehm and Cohen, 1959) tend to indicate that change will be greater if the behavior is induced by low pressure or accompanied by a high degree of freedom of choice and if the

* This paper w u presented at the Scientifk Forum of the ASHA Research Council, 1974 Convention of the American School Health Association in New York City, and was previously reported as a Youth Development Center Project research monograph, Kent State Ilnivemity, Vol 2, No 3, 1972.

behavior is likely to have tangible consequences (known to people important to the subject). McCandless (1970) s ta ted t h a t measured discrepancy is a function of self-dissatisfaction and that typically the measured ideal self is higher than the actual. He describes the moderate discrepancy person a s realistic, honest, and probably constructive, while the extreme is described as being self-loathing and uncomfortable. Ka tz and Ziegler (1967) reported that discrepancy between self-ideal and self-social increased with age but was not significantly affected by intelligence.

Youth referred to the Community Youth Services Center of the Youth Development Center Project tend to be experiencing disordered behaviors which are nonmaintaining, nonachieving, and frequently law-violating. The Center is designed to provide short-term, intensive attention to youth. Runaways and communication problems with parents, truancy and poor achievement (on the average grade achievement two grades below expected) in school, and/or delinquent behavior in the community are frequently types of behaviors. I t was the purpose of this study to determine the effect of an individual and group intervention, namely an individual contract for personal achievement and participation in guided group interaction on self-concept.

DESIGN OF STUDY Subjects

The students in this study consisted of 25 males and five females, ranging in age from 13 to 18 and residing in a suburban-rural area. They were referred to the Youth Center by the juvenile court, parents, or school. General characteristics appear in Table I.

Intervention

Each youth referred to the Youth Center was assigned to a resource teacher who was responsible for establishing an individual contract leading to achieving a goal based on identified individual needs. The goals centered around cognitive or

THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 399

TABLE I

CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTH

Range Mem --

C.A 13-18 14.6 Gracic 1-1 1 8 . 3 1.0 (Wechsler) Full Scale 64-125 98 11

psychomotor domains. This program consisted of a two-hour period for seven consecutive weeks. The first hour was directed to fulfilling the individual contract, followed by a second hour group session. Each group had, on the average, six youths and two staff moderators. Guided group interaction (with emphasis on Glasser’s Reality Therapy) was employed.

Measir mment The “Self-Test’’ of the Bower Lambert Scale

(1962) was employed to measure the intra- individual perception of self. The scale consists of 40 pairs of items which are used to determine the degree of congruence between the S’s perceived real and ideal self.

Method Each student completed the “Self-Test” prior to

and following the intervention program. Those studenta who attended five or more sessions were included in the study.

The instrument was administered as suggested by Bower and Lambert. The responses to the items were scored in a weighted manner and in the same direction: “YES,” 4 points; “yes,” 3 points; “no,” 2 points; and “NO,” 1 point. A nondirectional t-test was employed testing the significance of the difference between the group means for a given analysis. These will be stated later. Differences scores for four pairs of 40 items were computed with

analysis directed to: (1) pre-real and pre-ideal; ( 2 ) post-real and post-ideal; (3) pre-difference and post- difference (scores betwee; ideal and real perceptions); (4) pre-real and post-real; and (5) pre- ideal and post-ideal.

RESULTS In analysis 1, which compared the individual’s

initial differences between ideal and real perceptions, the mean scores (see Table 11, column 1 ) and 23 of the 40 items were significantly different a t the .01 level. In analysis 2, the post comparison of real and ideal, the difference between means was no longer significantly different (see Table 11, column 2); however, 13 individual items varied significantly a t the .01 level. Table I11 shows the direction of change for the seven items in which there was a significant change between pre- and post-measures. In analysis 3, the difference scores between ideal-real on the pre-test, and ideal-real on the post-test, yielded no significant differences (see Table 11, column 3). In analysis 4, the real perception which compared pre- and post-scores, showed no significant differences (see Table 11, column 4). In contrast, the ideal perception between the pre- and post-tests in analysis 5 was significantly different a t the .01 level (see Table 11, column 5 ) . Table IV shows the items which were significantly different between the pre- and post- ideal measures.

DISCUSSION The findings of this study indicated that the

individual’s ideal self-perception following the intervention changed. No significant changes were noted in the real self measures. The ideal self perceptions came much closer to the real .self perceptions after the intervention. The results of this program, as measured by the “Self-Test” would

TABLE I I

ANALYSIS 01. IDliAL AND REAL SCORES

(1 ) (2) (3) (4 ) (5) PreTest Post-Test _ _ Differences Real Ideal

Real Ideal Real Ideal Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

Mean 92.63 98.11 91.11 94.43 8.33 9.53 92.63 91.17 98.11 94.43 Dif terence 6.14 2.66 1.20 0.86 4.34 Standdrd

I iror 1.88 1.81 1.51 2.81 1.36 t (dl, ?9) 3.21 1.43 0.19 0.31 3.18 Significance p < .01 NS* NS NS p < . O l

*NS r i o t sigtirficant. -

400 SEPTEMBER 1975 VOLUME XLV NO. 7

TABLE 111 TABLE IV

CHANGES IN IDEAL PRE-POST ITEMS CIIANGES IN IDEAL-REAL PRE- AND POST-ITEMS FROM .01 LEVEL OF SlGNIFlCANCE

I tell1

Number Description Pre Post

5 Studies p<.Ol NS* 6 A tNetrcs p<.o1 NS

15 Leader p<.01 NS 16 Grades p < .01 NS 3 1 Math p<.Ol NS 40 Variety of foods p < .01 NS

9 Many acquaintences NS p<.o1

* N S nor siflificant, - __

tend to indicate that the goal of a more realistic and mature orientation was achieved.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bower E, Lambert N: A Process for In-school Screening

of Children with Emotional Handicaps. Princeton, Educational Testing Service, 1962.

Hrehm JW: Increasing cognitive dissonance by a fait uccompli J Abnorm Soc Psychol 58:379-382, 1959.

Brehm JW, Cohen AR: Re-evaluation of choice alternatives as a function of their number of qualitative similarity. J Abnorm Soc Psychol 58:373-378, 1959.

Calvin AD, Holtzman WH: Adjustment and the discrepancy between self-concept and inferred self. J Consult Psychol 17:39-44, 1953.

Cohen RR, Terry HI, Jones CB: Attitudinal effects of choice in exposure to counter-propaganda. J SOC Psycho1 58:388-391, 1959.

Coopersmith SA: A method for determining types of self- esteem. J Educ Psychol 59:87-94, 1969.

Erikson EH: Identity, Youth and Crisis. New York, W W Norton, 1968.

Festinger L: Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Evanston, Illinois, Row, Peterson & Co, 1967.

Description Significant Item

12 13 15 16 19 20 25 28 30 37 38 40

Rich and famous On time Leader Grades Quit school Anay Talk to parents Class president Smart Math Class president Variety of foods

p < .05 p < .os p <.05 p <.0s

p < .05

pC.01

p < .05

p <.05

p < .05

p < .05 p <.05

Featinger L, Carlmith JM: Cognitive conaequencea of forced compliance. J Abnorm Soc Psychol 68:203-210, 1959.

Glasser W Reality Therapy. New York, Harper & Row, 1965.

Kaplan L: Education and Mental Health. New York, Harper & Row, 1971.

Katz P, Zigler E: Self-image disparity: a developmental approach. J Personality Soc Psychol 6:186-196, 1967.

McCandlesa B: Children, Behavior and Development, (2nd ed.). New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967.

McCandlees B: Adolescents Behavior and Development. Hinadale, Illinois, The -den P r m , 1970.

Taylor C, Combs AW: Self-acceptance and adjustment. J Consult C h i Psychol 16:89-91, 1962.

Wylie R: The Self-Concept. Lincoln, Nebrmka, Univeraity of Nebraska Press, 1961.

The corresponding author of this article ie RonaM I? Kingsley, EdD., 219 Rellim Drive, Kent, OH 44240.

CORRECTION In the article titled “Adolescent Pregnancy: The Need for New Policies and

New Programs” which appeared in the May issue of T H E JOURNAL, pages 263-267, the following correction should be noted.

This paper is the edited version of a n address delivered a t the 1974 Annual Meeting of the Crittenton Hastings House, Boston, Massachusetts. Many of the ideas presented are a result of the author’s work on grant MC-R-090048 from the Maternal and Child Health Service, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

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