Individual and Situational Factors Predicting Employment Status Among Revoked Community-Released Offenders

Finding and maintaining employment postrelease is an important component in reducing recidivism and promoting successful reintegration for returning citizens. The primary purpose of the current study was to identify and gain a clearer understanding of both internal/individual (i.e., attitudes toward work, criminogenic thinking, antisocial associates, general mental health) and external/situational factors (i.e., reliable transportation, possession of identification, Internet access, type of residence) affecting employment status using a sample of 75 higher-risk community-supervised offenders (employed: n = 33; unemployed: n = 42). Unemployed offenders endorsed higher reactive criminal thinking (indicative of impulsivity) than those who were employed; no other differences in criminogenic thinking or association with antisocial others were found. Perceptions of work volition were significantly different across groups; however, feelings of work alienation were not. Further, significantly more unemployed offenders self-reported having a mental health diagnosis (other than a substance use disorder) and endorsed statistically and clinically significantly higher levels of psychological distress as compared to employed offenders. Regarding situational factors, although no statistically significant differences were found between the unemployed and employed groups, those who were employed were twice as likely to have access to the Internet. Based on these findings, it is recommended that correctional vocational programs incorporate psychological and cognitive interventions, not simply focus on skills training and logistical considerations. Future directions for research are discussed, including the need to monitor job success over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved

Self-Directed Search Response Project

Many of the Holland-based interest assessments differ in the number of answer options they present to clients, with some providing clients more sensitivity with which they can indicate their level of interest. Following anecdotal client comments, a study was developed to determine whether significant changes in inventory results occurred based on the number of answer options presented, while test items remain consistent. Two versions of the Self-Directed Search (SDS)-Fifth Edition were presented to 553 participants across two subsamples (312 Mechanical Turk and 241 college students). The published version of the SDS that presents clients with two response options was used as well as an altered version presenting clients with five-answer options. The internal consistency and profile stability across versions were explored. Statistically significant differences in internal consistency were found. Moderate-to-high profile stability for individuals and across test versions was detected. Implications for future research and practice are discussed

Individual and Situational Factors Predicting Employment Status Among Revoked Community-Released Offenders

Finding and maintaining employment postrelease is an important component in reducing recidivism and promoting successful reintegration for returning citizens. The primary purpose of the current study was to identify and gain a clearer understanding of both internal/individual (i.e., attitudes toward work, criminogenic thinking, antisocial associates, general mental health) and external/situational factors (i.e., reliable transportation, possession of identification, Internet access, type of residence) affecting employment status using a sample of 75 higher-risk community-supervised offenders (employed: n = 33; unemployed: n = 42). Unemployed offenders endorsed higher reactive criminal thinking (indicative of impulsivity) than those who were employed; no other differences in criminogenic thinking or association with antisocial others were found. Perceptions of work volition were significantly different across groups; however, feelings of work alienation were not. Further, significantly more unemployed offenders self-reported having a mental health diagnosis (other than a substance use disorder) and endorsed statistically and clinically significantly higher levels of psychological distress as compared to employed offenders. Regarding situational factors, although no statistically significant differences were found between the unemployed and employed groups, those who were employed were twice as likely to have access to the Internet. Based on these findings, it is recommended that correctional vocational programs incorporate psychological and cognitive interventions, not simply focus on skills training and logistical considerations. Future directions for research are discussed, including the need to monitor job success over time

Individual and Situational Factors Predicting Employment Status Among Revoked Community-Released Offenders

Finding and maintaining employment postrelease is an important component in reducing recidivism and promoting successful reintegration for returning citizens. The primary purpose of the current study was to identify and gain a clearer understanding of both internal/individual (i.e., attitudes toward work, criminogenic thinking, antisocial associates, general mental health) and external/situational factors (i.e., reliable transportation, possession of identification, Internet access, type of residence) affecting employment status using a sample of 75 higher-risk community-supervised offenders (employed: n = 33; unemployed: n = 42). Unemployed offenders endorsed higher reactive criminal thinking (indicative of impulsivity) than those who were employed; no other differences in criminogenic thinking or association with antisocial others were found. Perceptions of work volition were significantly different across groups; however, feelings of work alienation were not. Further, significantly more unemployed offenders self-reported having a mental health diagnosis (other than a substance use disorder) and endorsed statistically and clinically significantly higher levels of psychological distress as compared to employed offenders. Regarding situational factors, although no statistically significant differences were found between the unemployed and employed groups, those who were employed were twice as likely to have access to the Internet. Based on these findings, it is recommended that correctional vocational programs incorporate psychological and cognitive interventions, not simply focus on skills training and logistical considerations. Future directions for research are discussed, including the need to monitor job success over time

Overparenting and Emerging Adults’ Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Emotional Distress Tolerance

Objectives Overparenting is a type of parental control that involves high levels of age-inappropriate intrusiveness, which may hinder the development autonomous behavior in emerging adulthood. Overparenting has been linked to poor mental health in emerging adult college students. However, little is known about the mechanisms involved in this relationship. Emotional distress tolerance (i.e., ability to withstand negative emotional states) has been inversely associated with a number of mental health concerns and has not yet been examined in relation to overparenting. We proposed that emotional distress tolerance may be one mechanism by which overparenting is associated with poor mental health among emerging adults. We examined the direct role of overparenting in relation to mental health symptoms and predicted that emotional distress tolerance would mediate this relationship. Methods College student volunteers (N = 360) completed measures of perceived overparenting, emotional distress, and emotional distress tolerance. Results When controlling for race and living situation, emotional distress tolerance mediated the relationship between overparenting and emotional distress among college students. Conclusions Findings from this study help to explain the possible impact of overparenting behaviors on mental health and provide an intervention point for students struggling with exercising autonomous behaviors during the transition to college

The Role of Individual Differences and Situational Variables in the Use of Workplace Sexual Identity Management Strategies

Examination of individual difference variables have been largely ignored within research on the use of workplace sexual identity management strategies. The current study examined personality traits (extraversion, openness, and neuroticism), facets of sexual identity development (identity confusion, internalized heterosexism), and situational variables (e.g., perceptions of workplace climate and heterosexism) in explaining the use of management strategies, as well as possible interactions between individual and situational factors. Perceptions of the workplace climate toward lesbian and gay individuals significantly related to the use each of the management strategies, and Internalized Heterosexism was found to significantly predict the use of the Explicitly Out strategy. Most interactions between individual difference and situational variables were not supported, with the exception of an interaction between workplace heterosexism and internalized homophobia in explaining the use of the Explicitly Out strategy