Sponsor
Portland State College. School of Social Work
Term of Graduation
1964
Date of Publication
1964
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Department
Social Work
Language
English
Subjects
Interviewing, Juvenile delinquency, Interviews
DOI
10.15760/etd.119
Physical Description
1 online resource (vi, 28, 132 pages)
Abstract
This exploratory study designed to disclose new directions for further research and practice in the field of juvenile delinquency.
By exploring through limited depth interview the attitudinal areas of authority, fear, aspirations for the future, obstacles to be overcome, capabilities, societal ideals and therapy the project attempted: (1) to elicit, from adjudged juvenile delinquents, information different from that usually sought by public societal agencies and (2) to evaluate the depth interview as a means of eliciting such material.
Specific criteria were established for choosing fifteen interviewees, selected from three methods of dealing with juvenile delinquency: probation, institutionalization and parole. Depth interviews were conducted in a laboratory setting with which the respondents were familiarized prior to the interview. Open-end questions allowed latitude for pursuing the boys' spontaneous responses. The degree of observer reliability was based on the use of standardized schedules on which each observer evaluated the responses of each interviewee.
Conclusions which tended to substantiate prior findings were that generally these delinquents had a low self concept and had the most difficulty in interpersonal relationships. Although they saw their problems as being internal, they projected their troubles onto external factors. Noticeably minimal were identification with parent figures and ability to plan for the future.
Further examination of the discrepancies between the delinquents' frames of reference and those of the elements of society concerned with delinquency, and the current efficacy of social work techniques in treating the problems of delinquency were indicated.
Findings of this study suggest that further research into all seven attitudinal areas would help to clarify the problems and treatment of juvenile delinquents.
Rights
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/8085
Recommended Citation
Allen, Alice, "Use of the Depth Interview in Examining Attitudes of Delinquent Boys: An Exploratory Study" (1964). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 119.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.119
Comments
Other authors: Jean Altorfer, Jerry Brickey, Lee Cumpston, Suse Katz, Bertha Mitchell, Bernadette Plummer, Alden Powell, Carolyn Selling
A group project presented to the School of Social Work of Portland State College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work.
If you are the rightful copyright holder of this dissertation or thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to pdxscholar@pdx.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.