The project and its theoretical justification were a personal adventure. I owe a great deal to many persons who have contributed to my life and therefore to the completion of this project. Many memories flood the decades: Wiley Cantrell, Steven Hyles, Rosemary and Ralph Harper, Fran and Jim Sandin, Homer Hawthorne, Gilbert Fugitt, C. E. Colton, Richard Ross, and Joel Gregory. Much could be said about each of these and many others in the fruition of this project.

Robert Coleman, professor emeritus of archaeology at Southwestern Seminary, has been a friend for nearly two decades. He sponsored me on my first tour of Israel. Words cannot express what that trip meant to me as a poor young man struggling through work and college--an enlightening opportunity of a lifetime. He has inspired and encouraged me throughout my academic career as well as through the stages of this degree.

With regard to advanced empathy and the question of anxiety, I thank John Crow for the year's experience in clinical work in San Angelo, Texas. During that time I came to understand and appreciate the profound nature and healing forces of advanced empathy.

The inmates within the Christian congregation at the Gib Lewis State Prison helped by attending, contributing, being patient, and praying. I am privileged to know many good Christian men who are also prisoners. All of the fifty-five men in the final two groups helped, but perhaps as many as thirty have made special contributions in their own ways and spirits of Christian service. To mention one is to mention all. A special thanks goes to William M. Carr.

In New Orleans, Don Stewart the director of the D.Min. program was a wise taskmaster and encouraging pastor of the whole program; he helped keep our spirits up and our minds keen to the many challenges of the program. Donna McFarlain, Stewart's administrative assistant, was a great listener and ever present source of curricular information‑‑just plain fun to work with.

Also in New Orleans‑‑by a fluke of fortune and providence‑‑I met Sue Whitten who became a great friend that also helped with transportation; but so much more than that, she gave her friendship in an exemplary pastoral manner. Several peers became friends throughout the program, including Jim Burnett, David Carlton, Linda Haines, Calvin Woods, and Dino Senesi. My doctoral committee played an important role: my first chairman, Philip Coyle; my second chairman, Macklyn Hubbell; and Charles Ray and Allen Jackson. They guided and encouraged.

On the home front, Jack Lewellen has been a friend throughout the entire program, embodying much of the finer points of empathy and pastoral care that I have striven to articulate in the program. He has been a pastor's pastor, a calm in the midst of a storm.

A hearty thanksgiving goes to Debbie Kimbrell who loaned me her computer for several days. Her professional support and expertise was invaluable at times during the final drafting. She has been an encouragement for many years.

Many gave continual encouragement. Charlie Luxton was a volunteer chaplain whose personality defined consideration. Gertheen Pierce, our pianist and "mother of the church" in prison, gave to our predominantly "male" church that touch of mature femininity toped off with loyal kindness. Hails "Doc" Taylor has been a faithful Bible study leader holding "forth the Word of God"; he is also a father-figure to many inmates. A thanks goes to wardens Wesley Warner, Larry Johns, and Tim Simmons who cleared the ministry opportunities that exist in the Gib Lewis Prison and who cleared this project. And a thanks goes to Jerry Groom, chief of chaplains for Texas, who supported the project from the beginning.

Three friends were involved in the arduous task of proofing: John Morrison, David Rust, and Will Duke. They meant a lot to me. John Morrison viewed one of the final drafts and gave several helpful suggestions.

David Rust, volunteer prison chaplain and war veteran, gave of his time and talent at several stages of the editing process. He has been an encouragement, and his scrutiny was very much appreciated.

Will Duke, professor and director for Merit College, offered his suggestions on a final draft. He became a friend over a decade ago as one of my college professors and second Israel tour host. Cheerful, wise, articulate, and precise‑‑he has been an ever ready mentor with a word of patient encouragement.

I would like to thank my mother and father to whom I owe this life and mind of mine and my brother, Roger, who is as thoughtful a person as I know. My mother is a special person who defines the heart of motherhood and endurance. Too much cannot be said of my mother, father, and brother. With them many a storm has been weathered.

Lastly, I would like to thank a multitude of persons who allowed me the privilege of walking with them in their struggles or who walked with me in mine. Sometimes I learned about empathy in the giving, sometimes in the reception. Sometimes I learned from a distance as I observed the resiliency of the human soul in the midst of dire and precarious circumstances. True comfort, I have found, must sometimes be painful for the giver.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................... iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................. vi

EXPANDED TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................... vii

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................... xi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................... xii

LIST OF MATHEMATICAL SYMBOLS ...................................... xiii

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................... ix

Chapter

1. Introduction .................................................................... 1

The Problem and Its Setting ..................................................... 1

The Importance of the Project .................................................. 6

Review of the Related Literature ............................................ 43

2. Description of the Project ..................................... 51

Overview ................................................................................ 51

Development of the Program ................................................... 51

Enlistment of Inmates ............................................................. 54

Implementation of the Program ............................................... 62

3. Evaluation of the Project ...................................... 68

Evaluating the Program Development ..................................... 68

Evaluating the Program Enlistment ......................................... 70

Evaluating the Program Implementation .................................. 73

4. Summary, Conclusions, RecommendationS ...... 115

APPENDIXES ................................................................................ 124

Bibliography ........................................................................... 338

VITA .............................................................................................. 356

EXPANDED TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter

1. Introduction ................................................................... 1

The Problem and Its Setting ..................................................... 1

Statement of the Problem ............................................... 1

Subproblems .................................................................. 1

Hypotheses .................................................................... 1

Delimitations ................................................................. 1

Definitions of Terms ...................................................... 2

Assumptions .................................................................. 2

Description of the Gib Lewis Prison ............................... 3

Qualifications of the Project Director ............................. 4

The Importance of the Project .................................................. 6

Theological Rationale .................................................... 6

Nature of Christian Love ....................................... 6

Overview

Christian's Inherent Love for Others

Love as the Example of Jesus Christ

Specific Examples of Love's Expression

High Aspirations of the Church

Responsibilities of the Church ............................... 9

Overview

Body of Christ

Ministry of Reconciliation

Charge to Remember the Imprisoned and Mistreated

Visiting and Caring for Christ in Prison

Fellowship in Suffering

Prison Ministry in the New Testament ................. 12

Overview

Prisoner to Prisoner

Prisoner to the Freeworld

Historical Rationale ..................................................... 14

Origin of Programming in American Prison Reform 15

Overview

American Prison Reform and Programming

How General Programming Fared

Recent Secular Reforms and Programming in Texas 23

Overview

Recent Secular Reforms in Texas

Recent Programming Development in Texas

Struggle and Future of Prison Chaplaincy ............ 27

Overview

Struggle of American Prison Chaplaincy

Validating Chaplaincy Efforts

Future of Texas Chaplaincy

Practical Rationale ...................................................... 34

Inhibitions within a Hostile Environment .............. 34

Overview

Normal Person's Inhibitions

Additional Inhibitions within a Prison

Prisoner's Own Background and Social Grooming

Social Concerns of the Institutional Environment 36

Overview

Reduction of Non-Security Staff

Highly Structured Nature of Unit Operations

Readiness of a Group of Christian Inmates

Unique Role of the Prison Chaplaincy Department 37

Overview

Inherently Helping Role of Chaplaincy Department

Ability to Access the Best of Religious and Secular

Multiplying Benefits of Program

Fact that Little Has Been Done on Program Problems

Conclusions on the Three Rationales ............................ 40

Conclusions on the Theological Rationale ............ 40

Conclusions on the Historical Rationale ............... 40

Conclusions on the Practical Rationale ................ 42

Review of the Related Literature ............................................ 43

Christian Helping Skills ............................................... 43

Secular Helping Skills .................................................. 46

2. Description of the Project ..................................... 51

Overview ................................................................................ 51

Development of the Program ................................................... 51

Overview ..................................................................... 51

Formation of the Project Focus ..................................... 51

Development of the Lessons ........................................ 52

Development of the Instructional Aids .......................... 53

Enlistment of Inmates ............................................................. 54

Overview ..................................................................... 54

Advertisement ............................................................. 55

Enrollment ................................................................... 55

Pretesting .................................................................... 56

Matching the Experimental and Control Groups ........... 58

Implementation of the Program ............................................... 62

Overview ..................................................................... 62

Summarization of Daily Sessions .................................. 62

Day 1: Part 1: The Foundation--Attending Skills Set 1

Day 2: Part 1: The Foundation--Attending Skills Set 2

Day 3: Part 1: The Foundation--Attending Skills Set 3

Day 4: Part 2: The Interpersonal Bridge of Self-Disclosure

Day 5: Part 3: The Connection--Empathic Skills Level 1

Day 6: Part 3: The Connection--Empathic Skills Level 2

Day 7: Part 3: The Connection--Empathic Skills Level 2

Posttesting ................................................................... 66

3. Evaluation of the Project ...................................... 68

Evaluating the Program Development ..................................... 68

Overview ..................................................................... 68

Review by Committee Member ..................................... 68

Review by Expert in Criminal Justice Ministry ............. 68

The Documents of the Program .................................... 69

Five Evaluation Instruments ......................................... 69

Evaluating the Program Enlistment ......................................... 70

Overview ..................................................................... 70

Effect of Advertisement and Announcements ................ 71

Experimental and Control Group Worksheets and Rosters 71

Posttesting the Control Group ...................................... 72

Evaluating the Program Implementation .................................. 73

Overview ..................................................................... 73

Professional Evaluations .............................................. 73

Professional Chaplain

Pastoral Observations and Reflections on Implementation

Adjusting the Pretest and Posttest Counselor Response 75

Counselor Response Questionnaire Statistical Analysis 77

Overview

Measures of Central Tendency and Variability

Measures of Frequency

Three t-Test Calculations

Responding Questionnaire Statistical Analysis ............. 85

Overview

Measures of Central Tendency and Variability

Measures of Frequency

Three t-Test Calculations

Postprogram Interview Questionnaire Analysis ............. 91

About the Questionnaire

Percentages and Interpretations

Postprogram Helpee Follow-up Questionnaire Analysis 107

About the Questionnaire

Percentages and Interpretations

4. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendation 115

Summary .............................................................................. 115

On the Theological Rationale .......................................... 115

On the Description of the Project .................................... 116

On the Evaluation of the Project ...................................... 118

Conclusions .......................................................................... 121

Recommendations ................................................................. 122

APPENDIX

1. Professional Evaluations ....................................................... 124

2. Project Lesson Plans ............................................................. 131

3. Project Overheads and Handouts .......................................... 191

4. Preprogram Background Questionnaire ................................. 274

5. Counselor Response Questionnaire ....................................... 276

6. Responding Questionnaire .................................................... 283

7. Interpersonal Check List Background ................................... 287

8. Pastoral Observations and Reflections on Implementation ..... 290

9. Postprogram Interview Questionnaire ................................... 325

10. Postprogram Helpee Follow-up Questionnaire ....................... 328

11. Data Collection Worksheets ................................................. 330

12. Program Instruments ............................................................ 334

Bibliography ........................................................................... 338

VITA ................................................................................................... 356

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Sociological Breakdown of Participants ................................... 59

2. Preprogram CRQ Scores Categorized ..................................... 60

3. Preprogram Experimental/Control Group CRQ Statistics ......... 61

4. Adjusted Preprogram Scores ................................................... 76

5. Adjusted Preprogram CRQ Statistics ...................................... 77

6. Adjusted Pretest and Posttest CRQ Statistics ......................... 79

7. Frequency Analysis of Top Ten CRQ Scores ........................... 81

8. Analysis of CRQ Deviations ................................................... 82

9. CRQ t-Test Analyses .............................................................. 84

10. Pretest and Posttest RQ Statistics .......................................... 86

11. Frequency Analysis of Top Ten RQ Scores ............................. 88

12. Analysis of RQ Deviations ...................................................... 89

13. RQ t-Test Analyses ................................................................ 90

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

"a" Aggravated time being served

"na" Non-aggravated time being served

5WH Who, What, Where, Why, When, How

AE-I Accurate Empathy

AE-II Advanced Accurate Empathy

AIN Average INtensity

CLM Chapel Life Ministries

CRQ Counselor Response Questionnaire

CRQW Counselor Response Questionnaire Worksheet

DCW Data Collection Worksheets

DEW Discrimination Exercise Worksheet

DOM Dominant

HOST Hostile

ICL Interpersonal Check List

LOV Loving

NIC Number of Items Circled

NIV New International Version

PBQ Preprogram Background Questionnaire

PIQ Postprogram Helpee Follow-up Questionnaire

RFRA Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993

RQ Response Questionnaire

RQW Response Questionnaire Worksheet

S-O-L-E-R Squaring, Open Posture, Leaning, Eye Contact, Relaxing

Std. Dev. Standard Deviation

SUB Submissive

TDC Texas Department of Corrections

TDCJ Texas Department of Criminal Justice

LIST OF MATHEMATICAL SYMBOLS

^click to see high resolution ^

ABSTRACT

AN EMPATHIC HELPING SKILLS PROGRAM AT THE GIB LEWIS

STATE PRISON, WOODVILLE, TEXAS

Michael Glenn Maness, D.Min.

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1997

Chairman: Macklyn Hubbell

The project director justified, developed, and implemented an empathic helping skills program based on love for a selected group of inmates at the Lewis Prison in Woodville, Texas. Five instruments indicated the experimental group increased in skills. Two pretest/posttest instruments statistically measured the acquisition of empathic knowledge and skills in two matched groups: the results indicated a significant improvement in the experimental group and no significant improvement in the control group with respect to measures of central tendency, variability, frequency, and with respect to three t-tests scores.