Positive effects on life skills motivation and self-efficacy: Node-link maps in a modified therapeutic community

In recent years, one response to drug abuse problems has been to provide tr eatment in prison and probation settings. Results are promising, although t he need for improving mandated treatment has been expressed. The Cognitive Enhancements for Treatment of Probationers (CETOP) project is investigating cognitive enhancements in a modified therapeutic community (TC) setting. O ne enhancement is node-link mapping, a visual graphing strategy. Map ''node s'' contain ideas, actions, and feelings; these are connected by links that illustrate meaningful relationships. Current findings indicate increases i n group participation, ratings of session depth, and positive ratings of co residents, counselors, and security staff. The present study extends this r esearch by comparing mapping-enhanced counseling to standard counseling on self efficacy and motivation for basic psychosocial skills (e.g., emotional control). Probationers (n = 381) in it 16-week residential program were as signed randomly to conditions in 12 TCs (n = 30-35). Motivation and self-ef ficacy were assessed by two self-report questionnaires, one midway and one at the end of treatment. A five-factor solution was produced from each ques tionnaire. With community as the unit of analysis, means of enhanced counse ling were higher in all cases. Wircoxen tests indicated four significant di fferences at midterm for mapping on motivation and self-efficacy of communi cation and emotional control (p <.05). At the end of treatment, mapping was higher for motivation of cognition and emotional control and self-efficacy was higher for communication. Discussing Bandura's model, these findings p rovide evidence that maps may enhance psychosocial skills, which have been associated with maintaining recovery (25, 37).