The effects of metacognitive components instruction in reducing antisocial behaviors in youth of Urmia central prison, Iran

Antisocial behaviors occur in a wide range and cause different psychological, social and familial pathologies. Different methods were used to reduce antisocial behaviors. The aim of this research was to study the metacognitive components in antisocial youth of Urmia Central Prison and the effect of metacognitive components instruction in reduction of antisocial behaviors.

Methods and Materials:

 In this quasi-experimental study 30 young adults with antisocial personality disorder in Urmia Central Prison were selected randomly. They were randomly classified in case and control groups. After Wells and Cartwright-Hatton metacognitive inventories were completed by the two groups, metacognitive components were instructed in 8 sessions to the case group. The post-test was conducted on all subjects. Finally the case group was investigated in different situations by a checklist prepared by the researchers. The data was analyzed using t-test, covariance analysis and chi-square test.

Data analysis showed that metacognitive components in antisocial youth were disordered. They also indicated that instruction could significantly correct the problems (P < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in metacognitive dimensions among the case and control groups in post-test (P < 0.01).

These results showed that metacognitive dimensions of antisocial youth are disordered and instruction of metacognitive dimensions has positive effect in their behavior correction.