Using sociometric measures to predict help seeking behaviors of youth in a positive peer culture program

Abstract

Sociometric measures were used to predict help seeking behaviors of youth in a residential treatment center. Seventeen female adolescents with conduct disorders were asked to choose three peers in their group who were most popular, similar, and competent. These sociometric measures were correlated with the degree to which the participants would seek help from their peers across four problem scenarios representing actual situations encountered in residential settings. A multiple linear regression analysis suggested that sociometric measures of "competence" was the best predictor of intentions to seek help across the problem scenarios. Discussion focused on the implications of using sociometric measures within a residential treatment setting.Several authors have expressed the need to develop an ecological approach in the treatment of adolescents in residential settings (Gutterman & Blythe, 1986;Hobbs, 1966;Termini, 1991). The ecological model emphasizes the importance of community integration rather than isolating youth from their natural environments. It focuses on the interdependence of the residential facility, home, school, peers, and the student. An important assumption is that alterations in one environment may influence behavior in other settings. The goal of residential treatment is to identify these important environmental elements and modify them in ways that have a positive impact on the youth.Alterations of peer interactions may be an important component when implementing an ecological approach to residential treatment. Peers often exert powerful influences on behavior within residential and school settings (Strain,

Mediator Personality Type and Perceived Conflict Goals in Workplace Mediation: A Study of Shared Neutrals

“…To date, the mediation literature has yet to produce an instrument of this type. However, problem scenarios of this sort have been developed and used for research in social behavior (Byrnes & Kiger, 1992;Hupka, Jung & Silverthorn, 1987;Vincent, Houlihan & Mitchell, 1994), 10 medical clinician research (Glassman, Kravita, Petersen & Rolph, 1997), and in other social research arenas.…”