Annual of social work, Vol. 23 No. 1, 2016.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3935/ljsr.v23i1.74
MOTIVATIONAL MECHANISMS PRECEDING THE DECISION TO CHANGE BEHAVIOUR IN YOUNG PERPETRATORS OF CRIMINAL AND MISDEMEANOUR OFFENCES
Gabrijela Ratkajec Gašević
; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Antonija Žižak
orcid.org/0000-0003-3653-340X
; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Decision–making concerning behaviour change represents a very important topic in the context of change among juvenile offenders who have committed a criminal or misdemeanour offence and because of that are included in an intervention programme in the social care system. Such strategies are rarely researched, and those youths who are referred to psychosocial counselling offer a very interesting group for studying cognitive processes which precede behaviour change, for several, most commonly contradictive reasons: psychosocial counselling is mandated and someone (in this case the court) is »forcing« them to make some behaviour changes, while they are in the counselling process which is characterised by voluntariness and motivation to participate and change. This is why the main goal of this paper is directed towards studying key mechanisms in the process of behaviour change which juvenile offenders perceive as significant. A qualitative research approach is used, and with that purpose 20 semi–structured interviews were conducted with juveniles referred to psychosocial counselling. Thematic frame analysis was used. Within four topics (motivational processes induced by offence; motivational processes induced by legal proceedings or with referral to counselling; motivational processes induced by relationships with people close to them; action processes), 18 patterns were identified which reflect motivational and cognitive processes in behaviour change. Results indicate specific guidelines for working on motivational patterns which could encourage the process of decision–making concerning behaviour change during the implementation of interventions for youths with behaviour problems.
Keywords
behaviour change; motivational processes; juvenile offenders
Hrčak ID:
164945
URI
Publication date:
4.7.2016.
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