Impact of a Family Empowerment Intervention on Delinquent Behavior: A Latent Growth Model Analysis

• NCJ Number: 202912
• Journal: Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: 2003 Pages: 17-41
• Author(s): Richard Dembo; James Schmeidler; Werner Wothke
• Editor(s): Nathaniel J. Pallone
• Date Published: 2003
• Length: 25 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper presents results of analyses on the impact of a Family Empowerment Intervention (FEI) on youths’ delinquent behavior.

Abstract

The home-based Family Empowerment Intervention (FEI) was implemented as a 10-week systems-oriented and structural approach to family preservation. This paper presents results of a growth model analysis of the FEI on the self-reported involvement in delinquency among youths processed at the Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center (Florida) who entered a NIDA funded project between September 1994 and January 1998. The data were gathered from 278 youths who completed at least 1 follow-up interview. The dataset used in the analyses consisted of Year 2 interview data on 272 youths, Year 3 interview data on 170 youths, and Year 4 interview data on 90 youths. The results of the latent growth analyses highlighted that youths completing the FEI reported significantly less involvement in delinquent behavior over time than all other youths, thereby confirming the significant impact of the FEI on youths completing the FEI. Latent growth analysis represents an important technique for assessing effectiveness of prevention or intervention programs with longitudinal outcome data. References