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Do Extremely Violent Juveniles Respond Differently to Treatment?
Jessica J Asscher1, M Deković2, Alithe L Van den Akker1
11 University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Summary
Multisystemic therapy (MST) is effective for extremely violent (EV) youth, showing initial worsening then improvement. Treatment as usual was ineffective for both EV and not extremely violent (NEV) youth.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Behavioral Therapy
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- Extremely violent (EV) youth present unique treatment challenges.
- Understanding treatment response in EV youth is crucial for effective interventions.
- Multisystemic therapy (MST) is a recognized intervention for at-risk youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of multisystemic therapy (MST) for extremely violent (EV) youth.
- To compare treatment response between EV youth and not extremely violent (NEV) youth.
- To analyze within-treatment changes in behavior for both groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a randomized controlled trial comparing MST and treatment as usual.
- Analyzed pre- to post-treatment changes in behavior.
- Employed growth curve modeling to examine within-treatment changes.
Main Results:
- MST demonstrated equal effectiveness for both EV and NEV youth.
- Treatment as usual was ineffective for both EV and NEV youth.
- EV youth exhibited a non-linear response to MST, with initial deterioration followed by positive changes after one month.
Conclusions:
- MST is an effective treatment for extremely violent youth.
- A longer duration or more intensive MST program may be beneficial for treating extreme violence.
- Treatment as usual is not effective for this population.
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