Article Figures & Data
Tables
Game Version Website Connecticut RePresent https://ctlawhelp.org/en/represent Connecticut RePresent Renter https://ctlawhelp.org/en/represent-renter Maine RePresent https://ptla.org/represent-game Maine RePresent Renter https://ptla.org/represent-renter-game Massachusetts RePresent https://www.masslegalhelp.org/court/represent New Hampshire RePresent https://www.nhlegalaid.org/represent - Table 2
Background Characteristics and Legal Problems of RePresent Game Users and Nonusers
Game Users (n = 136) Nonusers (n = 141) Test of Difference Age, years χ2 = 2.86 18–24 6 (4.4) 9 (6.4) 25–34 46 (33.8) 51 (36.2) 35–44 52 (38.2) 54 (38.3) 45–54 25 (18.4) 17 (12.1) ≥ 55 7 (5.1) 10 (7.1) Gender: male 56 (41.2) 65 (46.1) χ2 = 4.58 Ethnicity: white 62 (45.6) 95 (67.4) χ2 = 13.38c Education χ2 = 28.61c High school or below 53 (39.0) 23 (16.3) Some college 36 (26.5) 26 (18.4) Associates/bachelors 44 (32.4) 82 (58.2) Advanced degree 3 (2.2) 10 (7.1) Marital status: married 56 (41.2) 60 (42.6) χ2 = 0.05 Annual personal income χ2 = 10.01 < $15,000 24 (17.6) 21 (14.9) $15,000–$30,000 27 (19.9) 17 (12.1) $31,000–$50,000 31 (22.8) 41 (28.4) $51,000–$70,000 20 (14.7) 26 (18.4) $71,000–$90,000 25 (18.4) 17 (12.1) $91,000–$110,000 5 (3.7) 11 (7.8) > $110,000 4 (2.9) 9 (6.4) Full/part-time employment 113 (87.6) 109 (79.0) χ2 = 3.54 Ever been to jail 33 (24.3) 18 (12.8) χ2 = 6.09a Ever been homeless 24 (17.6) 37 (26.2) χ2 = 2.98 Current legal problem(s) Money or debt 44 (32.4) 52 (36.9) χ2 = 0.63 Family 42 (30.9) 59 (41.8) χ2 = 3.59 Apartment housing 50 (36.8) 32 (22.7) χ2 = 6.58a Home foreclosure 16 (11.8) 10 (7.1) χ2 = 1.78 Immigration 12 (8.8) 3 (2.1) χ2 = 6.06a Criminal record history 17 (12.5) 15 (10.6) χ2 = 0.24 Estate/probate 19 (14.0) 6 (4.3) χ2 = 7.96b Tax 24 (17.6) 19 (13.5) χ2 = 0.92 Unemployment or WC 23 (16.9) 15 (10.6) χ2 = 2.30 Criminal problem 11 (8.1) 15 (10.6) χ2 = 0.53 Other 5 (3.7) 8 (5.7) χ2 = 0.62 Number of current legal problems 6.29 ± 4.87 4.63 ± 3.07 t = 3.40b Past legal problem(s) Money or debt 69 (50.7) 56 (39.7) χ2 = 3.394 Family 28 (20.6) 49 (34.8) χ2 = 6.919b Apartment housing 40 (29.4) 28 (19.9) χ2 = 3.411 Home foreclosure 16 (11.8) 9 (6.4) χ2 = 2.442 Immigration 18 (13.2) 5 (3.5) χ2 = 8.536b Criminal record history 12 (8.8) 13 (9.2) χ2 = 0.013 Estate/probate 15 (11.0) 7 (5.0) χ2 = 3.483 Tax 32 (23.5) 17 (12.1) χ2 = 6.258a Unemployment or WC 21 (15.4) 15 (10.6) χ2 = 1.412 Criminal problem 19 (14.0) 18 (12.8) χ2 = 0.087 Other 5 (3.7) 9 (6.4) χ2 = 1.057 Number of past legal problems 3.67 ± 1.76 4.41 ± 2.72 t = −.98 Self-rating of legal knowledge 3.24 ± 0.99 2.84 ± 0.80 t = 3.73 Procedural Justice Scale 3.85 ± 0.98 3.57 ± 1.08 t = 2.26a Game Users (n = 136) Game Nonusers (n = 141) Test of Difference General Self-Efficacy Scale 29.11 ± 4.6 28.81 ± 5.50 t = .49 Empowerment Scale 2.93 ± 0.50 2.97 ± 0.50 t = .79 BASIS-24 2.18 ± 0.70 2.45 ± 0.70 t = −.88 PHQ-2 3.97 ± 1.56 4.40 ± 1.74 t = −2.12a GAD-2 4.00 ± 1.69 4.37 ± 1.77 t = −1.74 Q-LES-Q-SF 0.61 ± 0.17 0.53 ± 0.15 t = 4.05b Positive screen for alcohol use problems 41 (30.1) 4 (2.8) χ2 = 37.95b Positive screen for drug use problems 53 (39.0) 71 (50.4) χ2 = 3.63 Any mental health service use in past year 43 (23.1) 52 (39.1) χ2 = 1.43 Any substance abuse treatment in past year 26 (19.4) 21 (15.8) χ2 = 0.60 Many Civil and Criminal Problems (n = 100) Mostly Debt/Tax Problems (n = 73) Mostly Family Problems (n = 48) Combination of Housing/Family/Debt Problems (n = 56) Group Comparisonsa Debt 28 (28.0) 55 (75.3) 0 (0.0) 13 (23.2) 2>1,4>3 Family 24 (24.0) 12 (16.4) 48 (100.0) 17 (30.4) 3>1,2,4 Apartment housing 24 (24.0) 2 (2.7) 0 (0.0) 56 (100.0) 4>1>2,3 Foreclosure 26 (26.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1>2,3,4 Immigration 13 (13.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (2.1) 1 (1.8) 1>2,3,4 Criminal record expungement 29 (29.0) 3 (4.1) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1>2,3,4 Estate/probate 24 (24.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (2.1) 0 (0.0) 1>2,3,4 Tax problem 16 (16.0) 26 (35.6) 0 (0.0) 1 (1.8) 2>1>3,4 Unemployment 37 (37.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (1.8) 1>2,3,4 Criminal charge 22 (22.0) 0 (0.0) 3 (6.3) 1 (1.8) 1>3>2; 1>4 Other 8 (8.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (4.2) 3 (5.4) NS Total 7.8 ± 5.4 4.2 ± 2.0 3.5 ± 1.6 4.6 ± 3.1 1>2,3,4 Data are presented as n (%) or mean ± SD.
↵a 1 = Many civil and criminal problems; 2 = Mostly debt/tax problems; 3 = Mostly family problems; 4 = Combination of housing/family/debt problems.
NS, not significant.
Many Civil and Criminal Problems (n = 100) Mostly Debt/Tax Problems (n = 73) Mostly Family Problems (n = 48) Combination of Housing/Family/Debt Problems (n = 56) Test of Difference Pairwise Comparisonsb Self-rating of legal knowledge 3.00 ± .84 3.32 ± 1.02 2.92 ± .66 2.82 ± 1.02 2.05 NS Procedural Justice Scale 3.58 ± .95 4.03 ± 1.06 3.79 ± 1.08 3.45 ± 1.05 1.24 NS General Self-Efficacy Scale 27.25 ± 4.96 30.86 ± 4.59 29.89 ± 5.32 28.68 ± 4.66 4.91c 2,3>1 Empowerment Scale 2.77 ± .50 3.14 ± .48 3.01 ± .48 2.96 ± .39 4.09c 2,3>1 BASIS-24 2.65 ± 1.02 1.90 ± .80 2.45 ± 1.01 2.44 ± 1.01 3.68d 1>2 PHQ-2 4.53 ± 1.71 3.73 ± 1.43 4.43 ± 1.62 3.94 ± 1.74 2.26 NS GAD-2 4.42 ± 1.76 3.51 ± 1.43 4.63 ± 1.78 4.26 ± 1.83 2.52 NS Q-LES-Q-SF 0.54 ± .16 0.65 ± .14 0.56 ± .15 0.56 ± .20 3.92c 2>1,3,4 Days of alcohol use, past month 2.75 ± 1.37 2.97 ± 1.35 2.48 ± 1.55 2.62 ± 1.63 .58 NS Days of drug use, past month 2.58 ± 1.47 1.92 ± 1.28 1.96 ± 1.35 1.62 ± 1.13 5.80 NS Data are presented as mean ± SD.
↵a Multivariate analyses of covariance were adjusted for background differences between groups, including gender, education, marital status, income, and history of incarceration.
↵b 1 = Many civil and criminal problems; 2 = Mostly debt/tax problems; 3 = Mostly family problems; 4 = Combination of housing/family/debt problems.
↵c P < .01.
↵d P < .05.
NS, not significant; BASIS-24, Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale; PHQ-2, Patient Health Questionnaire-2; GAD-2, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale; Q-LES-Q-SF, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form.