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Conceptualizing structure in a day treatment program for delinquent adolescents
Bernard J Jacobs1, Robert Schweitzer1
1Court Referred Project.
The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
|April 1, 1979
Summary
Effective limit-setting for delinquent treatment requires shared structure. This program distributes structural support across physical space, organization, and the worker-patient relationship, easing the burden on individual staff workers.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Work
- Criminal Justice
Background:
- Effective limit-setting is crucial in treating delinquent individuals.
- Staff workers often face overwhelming burdens in providing consistent structure.
- Existing therapeutic models may not adequately support staff in maintaining structural integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel program for structuring the treatment of delinquents.
- To explore a multi-level conceptualization of structure in therapeutic settings.
- To provide a framework for supporting staff workers in limit-setting.
Main Methods:
- Conceptualized structure across three distinct levels: physical environment, programmatic organization, and the worker-patient therapeutic alliance.
- Implemented a program designed to integrate these structural levels.
- Focused on distributing the responsibility of maintaining structure.
Main Results:
- The multi-level approach to structure provided significant programmatic support to staff workers.
- Shared responsibility for structure alleviated the burden on individual staff.
- Enhanced consistency in limit-setting was observed.
Conclusions:
- A multi-level conceptualization of structure is effective in supporting staff workers treating delinquents.
- Distributing structural responsibilities across physical, programmatic, and interpersonal domains enhances treatment efficacy.
- This model offers a sustainable approach to limit-setting in challenging therapeutic environments.