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Contingency contracting with a delinquent and his family
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|September 1, 1985
Summary
Contingency contracting effectively supports delinquent behavior intervention within families. This approach showed no major adjustment issues at seven-month follow-up, indicating sustained positive outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Family Therapy
- Juvenile Delinquency Research
Background:
- Contingency contracting is a behavioral intervention strategy.
- Families of delinquents often require targeted support.
- Previous literature on family-based behavioral interventions is reviewed.
Observation:
- A case study details the application of contingency contracting with a delinquent and their family.
- A multiple baseline experimental design was used for evaluation.
- The intervention's effectiveness was independently assessed by the Juvenile Court.
Findings:
- The intervention demonstrated successful application in managing delinquent behavior.
- No significant adjustment problems were reported by the family at the 7-month follow-up.
- The program showed positive outcomes and sustained behavioral changes.
Implications:
- Contingency contracting offers a viable therapeutic approach for families with delinquent members.
- Flexible evaluation methodologies are crucial for real-world intervention studies.
- This approach may improve long-term outcomes for at-risk youth.