Interpersonal skills training: Evaluation of a Program with Adult Male Offenders

In order to assess the efficacy of an interpersonal skill training program with adult offenders, 14 males presently serving terms in Montana State Prison were randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: (a) interpersonal effectiveness training or (b) waiting-list control. The interpersonal effectiveness training group met for six one-hour sessions during which time inmates rehearsed, modeled, and were coached in generating appropriate responses to socially problematic conflict situations. Dependent measures, administered pre- and posttreatment, included the Personality Research Form (PRF), S-R Inventory of Anxiousness (SRIA), and Interpersonal Behavior Role-Play Test (IBRT). Major results indicated interpersonal effectiveness training group superiority on IBRT training and generalization assessment items (p's<.01). These findings were discussed with regard to the establishment of effective coping strategies both within correctional and natural environments.