TREATMENT GAINS IN ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES AND MENTAL HEALTH IN RELATION TO CLIENT SATISFACTION

Author

Syazana Binti Tajudeen, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

9-1-2021

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Criminology and Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Kroner, Daryl

Abstract

The U.S. has the highest prison population per capita where more than one million are imprisoned. Prisoners who experienced mental illness comprise 6.5 to 10 percent of the prison population. Mentally ill patients have been shown to have higher incarceration rates relative to the average adult population. Antisocial or offence-supporting attitudes are one viable means of change in offender treatment. Offender treatment services that address antisocial attitudes have higher treatment effects relative to those that address other risk domains. Client satisfaction is viewed as one of the three major areas in evaluating counseling services and has increasingly played a significant role in mental health settings to evaluate patients. The goal of this study is to examine whether the treatment gains in mental health and antisocial attitudes relate to client satisfaction. The study used two assessment instruments, which are Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) and Measure of Criminal Attitudes and Associates (MCAA), which are administered at the beginning and midpoint of the assessment treatment program. The change of scores between the midpoint and the beginning was taken as treatment gain. Result indicated that the treatment gains in antisocial attitudes is not related to client satisfaction whereas a part of treatment gains in mental health is related to client satisfaction. This study also elucidates some limitations and provides suggestions for future research.