Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1968

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Social Work

Major Professor

Jeanette C. Guy

Committee Members

Paul G. Zarbock, Irving Faust, Jr.

Abstract

During the period August 1 to December 15, 1967, the Tremont Conservation Center's drop-out rate was 40 per cent. There had been considerable concern over the frequency of drop-outs at the Center and other Job Corps Centers had reported terminations exceeding 50 per cent. This study was undertaken with the intent of answering one question, that being, was the degree or quality of interpersonal relationships between one corpsman with his fellow corpsmen relevant to the length of time he would stay in the program?

The writer constructed and used two sociometric tests, one to measure the degrees of group acceptance and the second to measure the degrees of social distance of each corpsman tested. The group acceptance test was used to solicit three choices of companions in the following areas: (1) in work relationships, (2) in classroom relationships, and (3) in free time relationships. As a follow up, the social distance scale was used to measure the social tone of the group as a whole, and the degrees to which individuals were accepted by the group and, in turn, accepted others in the group.

For purposes of sampling, the writer chose four bays from two dormitories by reference to a table of random numbers. The testing began on January 8, 1968, and concluded on February 12, 1968. Bays 6 and 8 of Dormitory "A" were sampled on three occasions at two-week intervals. In Dormitory "B", Bay 4 was sampled on three occasions, while Bay 8 was sampled on two occasions; each sampling took place at two-week intervals. The writer was able to obtain only two samples from Bay 8 due to absences of some corpsmen on January 15, 1968. A total of eighty-six samples were collected during this time interval; each bay, consisting of eight corpsmen, was sampled three times, with the exception of one bay which was sampled on two occasions.

The results of this study suggest that corpsmen with higher degrees of social distance (less group acceptance) tended to drop out of the program more frequently than did corpsmen with lesser degrees of social distance. Corpsmen with higher degrees of group acceptance chose each other more often, while those corpsmen with lesser degrees of group acceptance chose corpsmen having higher degrees of group acceptance.

Abbreviated.

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