title: Study of ideal-self discrepancy and observed social behaviors in a therapeutic community.
abstract: This descriptive study explored relations between ideal self-discrepancy (often referred to as self-esteem or self-concept) and behaviors observed in 27 residents of a therapeutic community for polydrug users. The Sliding Person Test (SPERT), an abstract, nonverbal measure of self-reported, ideal self-discrepancy was administered three times a week, for seven consecutive weeks to 27 subjects after regularly scheduled group meetings. Data were charted on graphs to reveal fluctuations of ideal self-discrepancy and incidences of observed, documented changes in behavior. Analysis suggests the instrument detects some changes in ideal self-discrepancy congruent with transitional behaviors. In more than half of the cases, fluctuation of 25% or more in discrepancy between ideal self-concept and at-the-moment self-concept was directly related to an observed change in behavior or residents' transition in the hierarchy of the program's structure. Implications for validity and reliability issues concerning measures of ideal-self-discrepancy are briefly discussed.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010556:Personality Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D013808:Therapeutic Community