NCJ Number
30725
Date Published
1975
Length
64 pages
Annotation
THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO SERVE YOUTH WHOSE ANTISOCIAL OR DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IS DETERMINED TO BE A FUNCTION OF THE BREAKDOWN IN FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
Abstract
YOUTHS WHO ARE REFERRED AT INTAKE TO THE FAMILY CENTER PARTICIPATE WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN A PROCESS OF SHORT-TERM (90 DAYS), GOAL-SPECIFIC, CONJOINT THERAPY, WHICH IS BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT THE YOUTH'S BEHAVIOR IS INEXTRICABLY DEPENDENT UPON THE INTERACTIONS OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THAT IN ORDER TO TREAT ONE, ALL MEMBERS MUST BE INVOLVED. ATTEMPTS ARE MADE TO INDUCE SPECIFIC BEHAVIORAL CHANGES AND, THROUGH THEM, TO ESTABLISH WITHIN THE FAMILY THE CAPACITY TO RESOLVE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE. THE ELIGIBILITY OF POTENTIAL PROJECT PARTICIPANTS WAS ACCORDING TO CRITERIA THOUGHT TO BE INDICATIVE OF AMENABILITY TO FAMILY THERAPY AND INCLUDED SERIOUSNESS OF OFFENSE, DURATION OF THE PROBLEM LEADING TO THE COURT REFERRAL, PRIOR CONTACT WITH SOCIAL AND LEGAL AGENCIES, BEHAVIOR, PARENTAL AND FAMILY STRUCTURE, EFFECT DEMONSTRATED BY FAMILY MEMBERS, SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVEL, SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, AND FAMILY WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN CONJOINT COUNSELING. THIS VALIDATION REPORT EXAMINES PROJECT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN RELATION TO THE EXEMPLARY PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA OF GOAL ACHIEVEMENT, REPLICABILITY, MEASURABILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND ACCESSIBILITY, MAJOR PROJECT STRENGTHS INCLUDED PROJECT INTEGRATION INTO THE OPERATION OF THE JUVENILE COURT AND A WELL CONCEIVED AND EXECUTED TRAINING PROGRAM; PROJECT WEAKNESSES INVOLVED PROBLEMS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION CAUSED BY A LACK OF SIMILARITY BETWEEN CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS AND A STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CENTER AND ITS REFERRAL SOURCE, THE INTAKE PROBATION OFFICE. THIS PROJECT DID NOT RECEIVE AN EXEMPLARY DESIGNATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)