Smith Sandi W, Cornacchione Jennifer J, Morash Merry, Kashy Deborah, Cobbina Jennifer
a Department of Communication , Michigan State University , East Lansing , Michigan , USA.
b Social Sciences and Health Policy, School of Medicine , Wake Forest University , Winston Salem , North Carolina , USA.
J Health Commun. 2016 May;21(5):504-11. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2015.1103329. Epub 2016 Apr 12.
This study extends research on psychological reactance theory by examining probation and parole officer (PO) communication style as an antecedent to female offenders' reactance and 2 indicators of subsequent drug and alcohol abuse while serving probation or parole sentences. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test a mediational path model, the results of which demonstrated that perceptions of PO conversational communication style were negatively associated with reactance but positively associated with self-efficacy to avoid drugs and alcohol. Conversely, women who perceived their POs as having a conformity communication style were more likely to report higher levels of reactance and lower self-efficacy to avoid drugs and alcohol. Psychological reactance led to desire to restore freedom, whereas self-efficacy to avoid drugs and alcohol did not. Desire to restore freedom was linked with reports of using drugs and alcohol and violations of parole or probation for using drugs and alcohol. These findings highlight the importance of communication style as an antecedent to reactance and in the relationship between POs and offenders.
本研究通过考察缓刑和假释监督官（PO）的沟通方式，将心理抗拒理论的研究进行了拓展，该沟通方式是女性罪犯产生抗拒心理的一个前提条件，也是她们在缓刑或假释期间后续药物和酒精滥用的两个指标。研究采用结构方程模型来测试一个中介路径模型，结果表明，对PO对话式沟通方式的认知与抗拒心理呈负相关，但与避免药物和酒精的自我效能感呈正相关。相反，那些认为其PO具有顺从性沟通方式的女性更有可能报告更高水平的抗拒心理以及更低的避免药物和酒精的自我效能感。心理抗拒导致了恢复自由的愿望，而避免药物和酒精的自我效能感则没有。恢复自由的愿望与使用药物和酒精的报告以及因使用药物和酒精而违反假释或缓刑规定有关。这些发现凸显了沟通方式作为抗拒心理的一个前提条件以及在PO与罪犯关系中的重要性。
