Howells et al (CBT)

Question 1

What was his first aim?

Answer 1

To see whether anger management is more effective in producing changes in aggression vs no treatment given.

Question 2

What was his second aim?

Answer 2

To see if pre treatment offender characteristics such as treatment readiness can predict improvement of aggression or not.

Question 3

What was his sample?

Answer 3

418 male offenders

Question 4

What % was prison based?

Answer 4

86%

Question 5

What % was community based?

Answer 5

14%

Question 6

What was the mean age and where was they from?

Answer 6

The mean age was 28.9 and they were from Australia

Question 7

Previous aim’s percentages of those who received treatment

Answer 7

73% never received AM, 20% has received 1 AM or other, 4% received more than 1 AM, and 3% tried but didn’t continue AM.

Question 8

Procedure

Answer 8

There was no random allocation to control or treatment group. 285 completed post interview assessments. 78 completed a 2 month follow up. 21 completed a 6 month follow up. Questionnaires were given before and after treatment to measure the mean changes in aggression scores. Along with qualitative data gathered from 2 correctional prison officer staff on their behaviour.

Question 9

How many sessions were there?

Answer 9

10 sessions lasting 2 hours long.

Question 10

Results - STAXI

Answer 10

Control mean change = +0.5
Treatment mean change = +1.5

Question 11

Results - WAKS

Answer 11

Control mean change = +0.95
Treatment mean change = +1.80

Question 12

What did Howells- conclude?

Answer 12

• There was a negative correlation where increase in treatment readiness mean there was a decrease in aggression.
• This meant treatment readiness was a good indicator for treatment outcome and aggression scores.
• Overall there wasn’t a significant difference.

Question 13

Strength - Large sample

Answer 13

The sample consisted of 418 male ppts - large sample removes anomalies

Question 14

Weakness - Sample

Answer 14

All the sample was male and Australian. This makes it androcentric and ethnocentric.

Question 15

However

Answer 15

95% of the prison population is male therefore a sample consisting of 100% male is necessary as it is accurate of what the current prison population is. Males tend to be more aggressive whereas females are more emotionally aggressive leading to their criminality.

Question 16

Strength - Standardised

Answer 16

10 sessions for 2 hours. Also standardised list of questions used in the questionnaire.

Question 17

Weakness - questionnaires

Answer 17

Questionnaire promote social desirability bias which means that the offenders are just being desirable and choosing answers in which they think the researcher wants to hear. This leaves a biased sample that isn’t representative of the population being sampled.

Question 18

Strength - Ethical

Answer 18

The control group that didn’t receive treatment in the study were later treated using AM.

Question 19

Weakness - There was no random allocation

Answer 19

This meant that some offenders may have received anger management again and therefore this might mean that their outcome is better than the rest as they have had 2 cycles of AM. This means that the data isn’t representative.

Question 20

High external validity

Answer 20

The study is conducted in a real life setting and on actual criminals. This increases the external validity.