Relationships among Prison Adjustment, Beliefs, and Cognitive Coping Style

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among prison adjustment, response-outcome and self-efficacy beliefs, cognitive coping style, and circumstantial variables (time served, age, and education) for 48 inmates who were in an anger management program. The number of "disciplinaries" received and the level of negative affect of participants correlated with (a) a belief that behavior did not affect treatment in prison, (b) a belief that it was not possible to control one's own behavior, (c) a tendency to blame others when unpleasant events occur, and (d) longer time served in prison.