[Therapy motivation of young prisoners].
OBJECTIVES: Therapy adherence was examined within a sample of 145 imprisoned male juveniles with regard to factors of influence, structure and predictability. METHODS: Predictors included biographic data, expectations with regard to therapy, personality traits (measured with the FPI-R) and psychological impairment (investigated by means of the Symptom Checklist). Therapy adherence as a criterion can be divided into the following dimensions: affliction, dissatisfaction, requests for change and help, and expectations of success. RESULTS: Within the sample a clear impairment of biographical and psychological data, as well as of personality traits was found. Values were average for expectations regarding therapy and therapy adherence, while two thirds of the sample were willing to undergo treatment during imprisonment. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy adherence proved to be a one-dimensional construct, best predicted by emotional instability, followed by the symptom score, expectations regarding therapy and inhibition. Dividing the entire sample into subgroups, significant differences were found mainly for psychological test data and less so for the construct of therapy adherence.