The effects of skills enhancement group program based on problem solving therapy on women offenders' social problem solving skills

In this study, it was examined efficacy of social problem solving skills training, based on Social Problem Solving in Five Stages (D 'Zurilla and Nezu, 2007; Nezu, Nezu and D' Zurilla (2007) aproach and developed by Çekici and Güçray (2012), on the social problem solving skills of convicted women. The study was carried out in Karatas Women Prison, on 36 female convicts who were volunteers to participate. The participants were divided into two groups: 18 participants and 18 participants as control groups. In the study, a nine-session psychoeducation program was applied to the experimental group, while no control was applied to the control group. Socio-demographic data form and Revised Social Problem Solving Inventory Short Formwhich was developed by D' Zurilla et al. (2002) were used. Both groups were pre-tested before starting the study and after the end of the nine-week sessions, the final test was performed and the follow-up measurement was taken from the experimental group two months later. The data obtained from the study were analyzed by non-parametric methods using Wilcoxon Sequential Works. In the results of the analysis, it was found that the scores of the participants in the experimental group were found to be statistically significant. It is observed that the points taken from the avoided style and the careless / impulsive style sub-dimensions have decreased significantly. It was concluded that there was no statistically significant difference between the final test and follow-up scores of the participants in the experimental group. Finally it is possible to say that intervention program was effective on enhancing women offenders' social problem solving skills.