10- treatnent programmes- behaviour modification and anger management

Aims of anger management

Not to prevent anger but to recognise it and manage it

• It has been suggested that cognitive factors trigger the emotional arousal which generally precedes aggressive acts

• anger management programmes consist of the individual being taught how to recognise when they are getting angry/losing control

• and then they are encouraged to develop techniques which bring about conflict resolution without the need for violence

What is anger management a form of?

CBT

3 stages in anger management

1. Cognitive preparation

2. Skills acquisition

3. Application practice

Cognitive preparation

Trained therapist helps person reflect on past experiences to understand the specific triggers/cues which precipitate their anger

Learn to interpret these triggers/events as irrational

By redefining the situation as non-threatening the therapist attempts to break an automatic response for the offender

Skills acquisition

Offenders introduced to a range of techniques and skills to help them deal with anger-provoking situations more rationally and effectively

• Cognitive - such as positive self talk to encourage calmness (e.g. mantra/positive self statements- I am calm and relaxed)

• Behavioural- e.g. assertiveness training to help a person communicate more effectively to avoid violence

• Physiological- methods of relaxation and/or meditation to promote the idea that it is possible to control their emotions

Application practice

Offenders given the opportunity to practice their skills and techniques using role play within a carefully controlled to environment so they can get used to using self-control and not get provoked by their triggers

Likely to involve the offender and therapist re-enacting scenarios from the offenders past which have escalated feelings of anger and acts of violence

Therapist gives constructive feedback on the person’s performance

May also practice skills throughout the week and keep a diary of how they have acted in anger provoking situations

What is behavioural therapy (token economy) based on?

The principles of operant conditioning

What is behavioural therapy for?

It is for the reinforcement of desirable behaviours

NOT the control of undersurface behaviours - incompatible with rehabilitative goals

Token economy aim

Aims to reinforce desirable behaviour in offenders with a token that can be exchanged for some kind of reward

What is the primary reinforcer and example?

The reward

E.g. phone call to a loved one, food, extra cigarettes, gym time etc.

What is the secondary reinforcer?

The token - as the token’s value comes from the association with the reward

Example of desirable behaviour

Avoiding conflict, following prison rules, keeping cell tidy

How the programme is developed and managed?

1. Set overall goals/aims- (should take offenders probable future lifestyle into account)

2. Goals should be initially agreed by prisoners, officers and administrators and reviewed periodically- goals

3. Should also be objective, measurable and broken down in order to show progression between present behaviour and desired behaviour

4. Tokens (secondary reinforcers) are given for agreed desirable behaviour. Tokens are exchanged for primary reinforcers

AO3- cost and ease

P- one strength of token economy over anger management is cost and ease of delivery - important factor considering cuts to budget and prison staff over last 10yrs

E- anger management- requires a trained CBT therapist so is more costly and difficult to deliver than token economies. Issues with availability of therapists reduces ease of delivery

E- whereas token economy is easy to carry out and administer. It can be set and is carried out by everybody who comes into contra with the offender and so requires no specialist therapist - cheaper and easier

L- so in terms of cost and easy to carry out behaviour modification is a better option for prisons and is a reasonably easy and cost-effective way of dealing with offending behaviour

AO3- effectiveness

P- one strength of anger management over token economy is overall effectiveness

E- anger management considers the complexity of offending behaviour as it attempts to address the cognitive, behavioural, psychological and social factors involved so addresses and changes the thoughts associated with the behaviour and so offers skills which can be used outside of the prison setting

E- whereas token economy is only tackling the superficial surface level behaviour in a controlled environment and so is likely that any positive changes in behaviour occurring whilst the offender is in prison may be lost when they are released as the ‘outside’ desirable or law-abiding behaviour is not always reinforced

L- therefore anger management is overall a more effective and life-enhancing way of dealing with offending behaviour than TE which only changes behaviour and not the thinking behind it

AO3- Anger Management research

P- research supports effectiveness

E- Research in a Canadian Federal prison compared violent prisoners who had 2hours of anger management a week with violent prisoners who had no treatment

E- although general recidivism rates were high (61%), the anger management group had significantly less recidivism for violent crimes and the length of time before re-arrest was also significantly longer than for the non-treatment group

L- Supports Anger Management to deal with offending- bigger reduction in violent offending than the non-treatment group - suggests it may have given them the skills to identify and respond in a more rational way to situations which may have previously caused a violent response

AO3- token economy research

P- Research Support

E- Hobbs and Holt- introduced a token economy programme with groups of young delinquents across 3 behavioural units. Significant difference in positive behaviour compared to non-token economy group

E- Allyon et al- found a similar effect with offenders in an adult prison

L- demonstrates effectiveness of behavioural modification as a way of dealing with offending behaviour - supports token economy