AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF PERSONALITY, RECIDIVISM, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: FINDING THE LINKS TO TREATMENT AND RESILIENCY
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Authors
Cannon, Nicole A.
Issue Date
2011
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Substance Abuse, Personality, Inmates
Alternative Title
Abstract
This exploratory study focused on the relationship of personality traits, recidivism, and substance usage among previously incarcerated women. This sample of women was compared to the normative sample of U.S. women on the California Personality Inventory 260. This exploratory study consisted of 37 participants. It was the hypothesis that previously incarcerated women would report fewer occurrences in the following Folk scales compared to the normed sample of non-incarcerated women: Responsibility (Re), Social Conformity (Sc), Self-Control (Sc), Insightfulness (Is), Flexibility (Fx), Work Orientation (Wo), and Orientation Towards Others. The data showed statistical significance for all of the Folk scales with the exception of Flexibility (Fx). The CPI 260 offers four categories: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, which are identified as "four ways of living" (Gough & Bradley, 2005, pp . 54-56). In this exploratory study, 54.8 % of the respondents, identified with the Gamma way of life. Substance abuse was measured with the Substance Abuse Symptoms Checklist. The participants of this exploratory study endorsed questions that were determined to be an indication of their (a) frequency of use, (b) atypical behaviors, (c) Intentions, (d) health, (e) job/employment, (f) significant others, (g) law , (h) beliefs, (i) isolation, and (j) psychological dependence on substances. Future replications of this study may include a larger sample size. In addition, a validated assessment tool to measure substance abuse or documented diagnosis of substance abuse would be an improvement in future replications.