Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vfjqv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T09:27:51.545Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluating a social problem solving intervention for juvenile detainees: Depressive outcomes and moderators of effectiveness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2016

Gerald J. Haeffel ,
Sascha Hein ,
Amanda Square ,
Donna Macomber ,
Maria Lee ,
John Chapman  and
Elena L. Grigorenko
Gerald J. Haeffel
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
Sascha Hein
Affiliation:
Yale University
Amanda Square
Affiliation:
Yale University
Donna Macomber
Affiliation:
Yale University
Maria Lee
Affiliation:
Yale University
John Chapman
Affiliation:
State of Connecticut Court Support Services Division
Elena L. Grigorenko*
Affiliation:
Yale University
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Elena L. Grigorenko, Child Study Center, Yale University, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT 06519; E-mail: elena.grigorenko@yale.edu.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study reports findings from the administration of a social problem-solving training (SPST) intervention to juvenile detainees in the Connecticut Youth Detainee Program. SPST is a cognitive behavioral intervention that teaches children and youth how to more effectively cope with interpersonal stress and conflict. In the current study, we tested whether SPST could decrease depressive symptoms in a sample of detained adolescent offenders. The study used a randomized-control design with detention staff administering the intervention. The results showed that SPST, as a main effect, was not more effective in reducing depressive symptoms than treatment as usual. However, the effectiveness of SPST was moderated by fluid intelligence. Juvenile detainees with high intelligence scores were most likely to benefit from SPST compared to treatment as usual. It was surprising that, for those with lower intelligence scores, SPST increased depressive symptoms relative to treatment as usual. These results help fill a critical need for intervention effectiveness data on juvenile detainees and indicate that SPST may not be useful for reducing outcomes such as depression.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , August 2017 , pp. 1035 - 1042
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

We thank Hilary Chart, Lesley Hart, Jay Singh, Elisa Mambrino. Denis Sukhodolsky, Catherine Foley Geib, and the Connecticut Court Support Services Division officers who helped implement the intervention and administer the assessments. We are grateful to the youth and families for their participation. This research was supported by funds from the American Psychological Foundation (Principal Investigator Elena Grigorenko). We report no conflicts of interest.

References

Abramson, L. Y., Metalsky, G. I., & Alloy, L. B. (1989). Hopelessness depression: A theory-based subtype of depression. Psychological Review, 96, 358–372. doi:10.1037//0033-295X.96.2.358 Google Scholar
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Adolescence. (2011). Health care for youth in the juvenile justice system. Pediatrics, 128, 1219–1235. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-1757 Google Scholar
Baker, T. B., McFall, R. M., & Shoham, V. (2008). Current status and future prospects of clinical psychology: Toward a scientifically principled approach to mental and behavioral health care. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9, 67–103. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01033.x Google Scholar
Biederman, J., Faraone, S., Mick, E., & Lelon, E. (1995). Psychiatric comorbidity among referred juveniles with major depression: Fact or artifact? Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 579–590.Google Scholar
Cattell, R. B., & Cattell, A. K. S. (1960). Test of “g”: Culture fair, scale 2, form A. Champaign, IL: Institute for Personality and Ability Testing.Google Scholar
Cattell, R. B., & Cattell, A. K. S. (1973). Measuring intelligence with the culture fair tests. Champaign, IL: Institute for Personality and Ability Testing.Google Scholar
Colins, O., Vermeiren, R., Vreugdenhil, C., van den Brink, W., Doreleijers, T., & Broekaert, E. (2010). Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 55, 255–263.Google Scholar
Craighead, E. W., & Dunlop, B. W. (2014). Combination psychotherapy and antidepressant medication treatment for depression: For whom, when, and how. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 267–300.Google Scholar
Crick, N. R., & Dodge, K. A. (1996). Social information-processing mechanisms in reactive and proactive aggression. Child Development, 67, 993–1002.Google Scholar
Dale, M. (1998). Lawsuits and public policy: The role of litigation in correcting conditions in juvenile detention centers. USF Law Review, 32, 675.Google Scholar
Desai, R. A., Goulet, J. L., Robbins, J., Chapman, J. F., Migdole, S. J., & Hoge, M. A. (2006). Mental health care in juvenile detention facilities: A review. Journal of American Academy of Psychiatry Law, 34, 204–214.Google ScholarPubMed
Fazel, S., Doll, H., & Langstrom, N. (2008). Mental disorders among adolescents in juvenile detention and correctional facilities: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 25 surveys. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 10I0–1019.Google Scholar
Feldmann, J. M. (2008). Caring for incarcerated youth. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 20, 398–402.Google Scholar
Freedman, B. J., Rosenthal, L., Donahoe, C. P. Jr., Schlundt, D. G., & McFall, R. M. (1978). A social–behavioral analysis of skill deficits in delinquent and nondelinquent adolescent boys. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46, 1448–1462.Google Scholar
Gillham, J. E., Relvich, K. J., Freres, D. R., Chaplin, T. M., Shatte, A. J., Samuels, B., Elkon, A. G., Litzinger, S., et al. (2007). School-based prevention of depressive symptoms: A randomized controlled study of the effectiveness and specificity of the Penn resiliency program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75, 9–19.Google Scholar
Grisso, T., & Barnum, R. (2003). The MAYSI—2 user's manual and technical report. Worcester, MA: University of Massachusetts Medical School & Professional Resource Press.Google Scholar
Guerra, N. G., Moore, A., & Slaby, R. G. (1995). Viewpoints: A guide to conflict resolution and decision making for adolescents. Champaign, IL: Research Press.Google Scholar
Guerra, N. G., & Slaby, R. G. (1990). Cognitive mediators of aggression in adolescent offenders: Part 2. Intervention. Developmental Psychology, 26, 269–277.Google Scholar
Guerra, N. G., & Williams, K. R. (2012). Implementing evidence-based practices for juvenile justice prevention and treatment in communities. In Grigorenko, E. L. (Ed.), Handbook of juvenile forensic psychology and psychiatry (pp. 297–308). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Hammen, C. (2009). Adolescent depression: Stressful interpersonal contexts and risk for recurrence. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 200–204.Google Scholar
Harrington, R. C. (2001). Childhood depression and conduct disorder: Different routes to the same outcome? Archives of General Psychiatry, 3, 231–236.Google Scholar
Harrington, R. C., Fudge, H., Rutter, M., Pickles, A., & Hill, J. (1991). Adult outcomes of childhood and adolescent depression: Part II. Links with antisocial disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 434–439.Google Scholar
Howard, K. I., Moras, K., Brill, P. L., Martinovich, Z., & Lutz, W. (1996). Evaluation of psychotherapy: Efficacy, effectiveness, and patient progress. American Psychologist, 51, 1059–1064.Google Scholar
Kashani, J. H., Manning, G. W., McRnew, D. H., Cytryn, L., Simonds, J. F., & Wooderson, P. C. (1980). Depression among incarcerated delinquents. Psychiatry Research, 3, 185–191.Google Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (2003). Problem-solving skills training and parent management training for conduct disorder. In Kazdin, A. E. (Ed.), Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Kazdin, A. E., & Blasé, S. L. (2011). Rebooting psychotherapy research and practice to reduce the burden of mental illness. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 21–37. doi.org/10.1177/1745691610393527 Google Scholar
Kovacs, M. (1981). Rating scales to assess depression in school-aged children. Acta Paedapsychiatrica, 46, 305–315.Google Scholar
Kovacs, M. (1983). The Children's Depression Inventory: A self-rating depression scale for school-aged youngsters. Unpublished manuscript.Google Scholar
Lilienfeld, S. O. (2007). Psychological treatments that cause harm. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2, 53–70.Google Scholar
Lochman, J. E., & Dodge, K. A. (1994). Social–cognitive processes of severely violent, moderately aggressive, and nonaggressive boys. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 366–374.Google Scholar
McReynolds, L. S., Schwalbe, C. S., & Wasserman, G. A. (2010). The contribution of psychiatric disorder to juvenile recidivism. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 37, 204–216. doi:10.1177/0093854809354961 Google Scholar
Meller, W. H., & Borchardt, C. M. (1996). Comorbidity of major depression and conduct disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 39, 123–126.Google Scholar
Mohlman, J., & Gorman, J. M. (2005). The role of executive functioning in CBT: A pilot study with anxious older adults. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 447–465.Google Scholar
Nezu, A. M., Nezu, C. M., & D'Zurilla, T. J. (2013). Problem-solving therapy. New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. N., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3, 400–423. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00088.x Google Scholar
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2010). The census of juveniles in residential placement. Retrieved from http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/241060.pdf Google Scholar
Possel, P., Horn, A. B., Groen, G., & Hautzinger, M. (2004). School-based prevention of depressive symptoms in adolescents: A 6-month follow-up. Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 1003–1010.Google Scholar
Remschmidt, H., & Walter, R. (2010). The long-term outcome of delinquent children: A 30-year follow-up study. Journal of Neural Transmission, 117, 663–667.Google Scholar
Roush, D. W. (1998). The importance of comprehensive skill-based programs in juvenile detention and corrections. In Roberts, A. R. (Ed.), Juvenile justice: Policies, programs, and services. New York: Nelson-Hall.Google Scholar
Shochet, I., Whitefield, K., & Holland, D. (1997). Resourceful adolescent program: Group leader's manual. Brisbane, Australia: Griffith University.Google Scholar
Smith, A. L., Hays, J. R., & Solway, K. S. (1977). Comparison of the WISC-R and culture fair intelligence test in a juvenile delinquent population. Journal of Psychology, 97, 179–182.Google Scholar
Spence, S. H. (1981). Differences in social skills performance between institutionalized juvenile male offenders and comparable group of boys without offence records. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20, 163–171.Google Scholar
Stice, E., Shaw, H., Bohon, C., Marti, C. N., & Rohde, P. (2009). Meta-analytic review of depression prevention programs for children and adolescents: Factors that predict magnitude of intervention effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 486–503.Google Scholar
Teplin, L. A., Abram, K. M., McClelland, G. M., Dulcan, M. K., & Mericle, A. A. (2002). Psychiatric disorders in youth in juvenile detention. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59, 1133–1143.Google Scholar
Teplin, L. A., Abram, K. M., McClelland, G. M., Washburn, J. J., & Pikus, A. K. (2005). Detecting mental disorder in juvenile detainees: Who receives services. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 1773–1780. doi:10.2105/AJPH Google Scholar
Wasserman, G. A., McReynolds, L. S., Schwalbe, C. S., Keating, J. M., & Jones, S. A. (2010). Psychiatric disorder, comorbidity, and suicidal behavior in juvenile justice youth. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 37, 1361–1376. doi:10.1177/0093854810382751 Google Scholar
Zoccolillo, M. (1992) Co-occurence of conduct disorder and its adult outcomes with depressive and anxiety disorders: A review. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 31, 547–556.Google Scholar