Delinquent Self-Concepts in Juvenile Correctional Programs: Implications for Program Design and Evaluation

Many of the leading theories of delinquent behavior incorporate an assumption that low self-esteem is a causal factor in the generation of delinquency. Based upon this assumption, many delinquency prevention programs include techniques for elevating the self-esteem of juveniles. This paper reports an evaluation of such a program through a One-Group Pretest-Posttest design. Significant changes in self-concept (as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale) and in the cognitive domain (as measured by the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test) were observed at two of five sites evaluated. In addition, problems encountered in the evaluations are reviewed and several issues to which evaluations of juvenile correctional programs should be sensitive are derived from these experiences