Abstract
This chapter explores the act of self-disclosure for young people in forensic settings. Self-disclosure is a process whereby we verbalise personal thoughts, feelings, behaviours and autobiographical details, and let them become known to another. The general (non-forensic) adult psychotherapy literature has long understood the importance of self-disclosure for physical and psychological well-being (Jourard 1971; Besharat 2007; Forrest 2010). It could be argued that self-disclosure is equally important in forensic contexts, in order to improve the well-being of the young person and to ensure that information is obtained for an accurate assessment of risk to self and to others. However, it is also possible that there are specific costs to the young person when disclosing personal information about themselves in a secure forensic setting; these potential costs must also be considered when conceptualising the process of disclosure.
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© 2015 Joel Harvey and Luke Endersby
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Harvey, J., Endersby, L. (2015). Young People’s Self-Disclosure in Secure Forensic Settings. In: Rogers, A., Harvey, J., Law, H. (eds) Young People in Forensic Mental Health Settings. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137359803_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137359803_14
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-35979-7
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