How Do Prisoners and Probationers Explain Their Predicament? An Attributional Analysis

Abstract

A questionnaire measuring attribution of responsibility & self-esteem was administered to 176 male prisoners ages 20-34 & 123 juvenile probationers ages 15-19 in Singapore. Factor analyses yielded 4 factors in both samples. The prisoners stated external causes for their present status as well as for future change in status. Younger probationers were more concerned with a sense of low self-esteem & a lack of social skills. Results show a clear developmental difference in the causal explanations offered for their predicament. Implications of these results for different rehabilitative approaches for the 2 age groups are discussed.