Date of Award

1983

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Richard Rickert

Second Advisor

Robert M. Donovan

Third Advisor

Rebecca Glenn

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship, if any, and the nature of the relationship between a condition of shyness in a juvenile individual and manifestations of antisocial behaviors on the part of that individual. The study was designed utilizing two sample groups, each totaling 40 juvenile individuals. The first sample group was an experimental group, composed of juvenile individuals who had been detained for a period of 48 hours or longer by the St. Louis County Juvenile Court. The second sample group was selected at random from among the student populations of two St. Louis County area high schools.

Each of the individuals included in the two sample groups was administered the "Quay Personal Opinion Assessment" instrument. Twenty-five of the one hundred items on the instrument were identified as indicators of shyness in juvenile individuals (this identification was based on findings of the literature review performed.)

The scores received were analyzed through the application of chi square analysis to the data collected through the administration of the instrument.

A research hypothesis was formulated and tested, which stated that:

It is hypothesized that juvenile individuals detained for 48 hours or longer by juvenile court authorities will receive higher shyness scores on the modified "Quay Personal Opinion Assessment" than will be received by a randomly selected group of juvenile individuals from the general population. This research hypothesis was tested in its null form by the application of chi square analysis to the data collected for the study.

Based upon the findings of the research performed for this study, it was concluded that:

  1. The condition of shyness is implicated, to some extent, in the manifestations of antisocial behaviors exhibited by juvenile individuals detained by juvenile court authorities .

  2. A far greater proportion of juvenile individuals manifesting antisocial behaviors are likely to be shy than is a randomly selected group of juvenile individuals.

  3. To the extent that shyness in juvenile individuals is a correctable condition, the manifestations of antisocial behaviors by some shy juvenile individuals may also be correctable to some extent .

The recommendations developed as a result of the findings were as follows:

  1. It was recommended that the results of this study be provided to juvenile justice authorities and to agencies responsible for providing psychological assistance to juvenile individuals for their guidance in the development of programs for juvenile individuals manifesting antisocial behaviors .

  2. It is recommended that additional research be performed for the purpose of determining to what extent shyness therapy can reduce the manifestations of antisocial behavior s by juvenile individuals.

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