Psychometric properties of the Prison Adjustment Questionnaire (PAQ) amongst male incarcerated offenders in South African correctional centres

Abstract

Correctional adjustment is crucial for incarcerated offenders. Effective adjustment within a correctional environment is essential for rehabilitation, managing emotional outbursts and withdrawal, and reducing violent conflicts and disciplinary infractions. Additionally, successful adjustment is critical in facilitating a smooth transition back into society, serving as a predictive factor for reducing recidivism after release. Traditionally, classification has been vital in the initial placement of offenders into correctional centres and the assessment of transfers. Through his research, Wright (1983) aimed to develop innovative classification procedures to help administrators accurately assign incarcerated offenders to appropriate correctional centres. The knowledge derived from understanding adjustment patterns enabled Wright to propose new approaches for placing incarcerated offenders in the correctional environment and led to the development of the Prison Adjustment Questionnaire (PAQ).

The PAQ was developed to evaluate the comparative correctional adjustment of incarcerated offenders within the correctional environment contrary to the public while also evaluating discomfort with incarceration across several dimensions. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the PAQ on a sample of South African incarcerated male and female offenders. The study also aimed to investigate the validity, factor structure, and reliability of the PAQ on a sample of South African incarcerated offenders. Within this research study, 814 South African incarcerated offenders were randomly selected using the systematic random sampling technique, which is a probability sampling method. The sample of this study included 787 literate male incarcerated offenders and 27 literate female offenders. However, due to the challenges faced by the researcher in obtaining sufficient participation from female offenders, the sample of female offenders was excluded from the study. Thus, the sample of this research study included participants who were proficient in English, could read and write, were over the age of 21 years, had a literacy level above Grade 6 and were not waiting on parole.

The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) through SPSS and Mplus, as well as the Confirmatory Factor Analysis through Mplus, indicated that an alternative two-factor model for South African male incarcerated offenders had an acceptable model fit. This two-factor model included two subscales, Behavioural Adjustment and Emotional Adjustment, offering valuable insights into the underlying structure of the PAQ within this specific population. The model provided a robust framework for analysing the PAQ within this sample, offering a nuanced understanding of the psychological profiles of male offenders and enhancing the utility of the measurement scale in applied settings. Additionally, the study provided strong evidence for both the concurrent and discriminant validity of the PAQ, reinforcing its robustness and reliability as a measurement scale for measuring correctional adjustment. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (?) and McDonald’s omega coefficient (?) were calculated to indicate the internal consistencies of the two identified factors. The PAQ displayed an acceptable level of internal consistency within this research study.