Skip to main content
Log in

Social Skills Training With a Sex Offender

  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A social skills training program consisting of direct teaching, modeling, behavior rehearsal, video feedback, and social reinforcement designed to assist an incarcerated young sex offender with social skills deficits is described. Pre- and posttraining videotaped behavioral records of an interaction with a young female, self-report questionnaires, and staff reports all indicated an increase in socially skilled behavior. A 1-year follow-up subsequent to the patient’s release from prison showed no recurrence of offending. The results are discussed in terms of the kinds of offender likely to benefit from social skills training and the need for evaluative research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference Note

  1. Grayson, D. Personal communication, December 3, 1979.

References

  1. ARGYLE, M. 1969. Social interaction. London: Methuen.

    Google Scholar 

  2. BECKER, J.V., ABEL, G.G., BLANCHARD, E.B., MURPHY, W.D., & COLEMAN, E. 1978. Evaluating social skills of aggressives. Criminal Justice and Behaviour, 5, 357–367.

    Google Scholar 

  3. CATTELL, R.B., EBER, H.W., & TATSUOKA, M.M. 1970. Handbook of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Windsor: National Foundation for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  4. FREEDMAN, B.J., ROSENTHAL, L., DONAHOE, C.P., SCHLUNDT, D.G., & McFALL, R.M. 1978. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 1448–1462.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. OLLENDICK, T.H., & HERSEN, M. In press. Social skills training for juvenile delinquents. Behaviour Research and Therapy.

  6. SARASON, I.G. 1968. Verbal learning, modeling and juvenile delinquency. American Psychologist, 23, 254–266.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. SARASON, I.G., & GANZER, V.J. 1973. Modeling and group discussion in the rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 5, 442–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. SIEGEL, S. 1956. Nonparametric statistics for the behavioural sciences. London: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  9. SPENCE, A.J., & SPENCE, S.H. 1980. Cognitive changes associated with social skills training. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 18, 265–272.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. SPENCE, S.H. 1980. Social skills training with children and adolescents: A counsellor’s manual. Windsor: National Foundation for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  11. SPENCE, S.H., & MARZILLIER, J.S. 1979. Social skills training with adolescent offenders: Short term effects. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 17, 7–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. THELEN, M.H., FREY, R.A., DOLLINGER, S.I., & PAUL, S.C. 1976. Use of videotaped models to improve the interpersonal adjustment of delinquents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 492.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. WECHSLER, D. 1955. Manual of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Windsor: National Foundation of Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The views expressed in the paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Home Office, Prison Department, England.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

McGurk, B.J., Newell, T.C. Social Skills Training With a Sex Offender. Psychol Rec 31, 277–283 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394740

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394740

Navigation