Philosophical and psychological approaches in Correctional Rehabilitation: Evaluation of Lab Contemplative Program

• In Event: Exploring Moral, Spiritual, and Relational Approaches to Prison Rehabilitation

Abstract

Many prisons implement rehabilitation programs to reduce recidivism, but few integrate both philosophical and psychological approaches. This study represents the first stage in evaluating the Lab Contemplative program, a four-week intervention that merges philosophy and psychology within a correctional setting. Using a pre-post quasi-experimental design, we measured changes among incarcerated individuals in Somang Prison—the only privately managed prison in South Korea—across key psychological and behavioral outcomes. The primary focus of the study is on self-identity awareness, agency, self-efficacy, and value clarification, as these are central to the program’s objective of fostering individuality and self-determination. Additionally, we explore anger management and aggression control as potential secondary outcomes to examine whether increased self-awareness and agency indirectly contribute to emotional regulation. Preliminary results suggest that participants in the Lab Contemplative program experience significant improvements in self-awareness, goal-setting, emotional regulation, and decision-making. These findings provide insights into the effectiveness of contemplative rehabilitation programs and highlight potential broader impacts on correctional rehabilitation. Future research directions and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Riccardo Ferraresso, Dongguk University

• Heesoo Jung, Contemplative Co., Ltd, South Korea