Group vs. Individual Counseling: Treatment Mode and the Client's Perception of the Treatment Environment
Keywords:
EnvironmentAbstract
The impact of treatment mode (group versus individual counseling) on the client's perception of the treatment environment was examined with a sample of institutionalized female delinquent offenders. The delinquents' perceptions of the treatment environment were measured by the Correctional Institutions Environment Scale (CIES). This instrument measures the client's perceptions of three environmental dimensions: (1) the treatment program, (2) the degree of interpersonal relationships, and (3) the emphasis on institutional order and control within the correctional environment. The findings indicate significant differences between the consensual ratings of the treatment environment by the delinquents in group treatment and those in individual treatment. The consensual ratings of those in group counseling units were significantly higher and more positive on two environmental ratings: perceptions of interpersonal relationships and perceptions of the treatment program.
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