NCJ Number
56230
Date Published
1978
Length
48 pages
Annotation
THE 1978 PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORT ON TWO VISIONQUEST RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS LOCATED IN ARIZONA AND COLORADO IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THE 65 ARIZONA AND 24 COLORADO VISIONQUEST RESIDENTS AND FROM PROGRAM RECORDS; THEY DESCRIBE STANDARD SOCIOECONOMIC FEATURES OF CLIENTS, THEIR HISTORIES OF DELINQUENCY AND PSYCHIATRIC INTERVENTION, STRUCTURAL FAMILY FEATURES AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE NUCLEAR FAMILY, PROBLEMS IN SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT, PATTERNS OF DRUG UTILIZATION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL MEASURES IN FOUR DOMAINS REGARDED AS CRUCIAL TO REHABILITATION--SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-CONCEPT, ALIENATION, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE LAW. RESULTS ON FAMILY COUNSELING (AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE VISIONQUEST TREATMENT PROGRAM OFFERED IN A VARIETY OF FORMS INCLUDING PARENT, YOUTH, FAMILY, CONJOINT FAMILY, AND MOTHER AND FATHER COUNSELING) INDICATE THAT THE PARENTS RECEIVED A MULTIPLE EXPOSURE TO A VARIETY OF THERAPEUTIC CONTACTS WITH STAFF. PARENTS IN THE COLORADO SPRINGS PROGRAM ARE STRONGLY INVOLVED IN GROUPS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH PERSONAL PROBLEMS, AND MANY ARIZONA FAMILIES ARE PARTICIPATING IN CONJOINT FAMILY COUNSELING. THESE TRENDS COINCIDE WITH PARENTS' PREFERENCES, A FINDING DEMONSTRATING THAT VISIONQUEST IS SERVING NEEDS AS DEFINED BY JUVENILES' PARENTS. A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RESIDENTS SHOWS THAT THEY ARE SENT TO VISIONQUEST AFTER DELINQUENCY 'CAREERS' HAVE BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED, AND THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CONTACTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TREATMENT AGENTS. THE YOUTH COME MOSTLY FROM ONE-PARENT FAMILIES AND ARE LIKELY TO BE DISSATISFIED WITH HOME LIFE. THEY EVIDENCE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE CHANGES IN MEASURES OF SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-CONCEPT, ALIENATION, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE LAW AFTER 6 MONTHS OF TREATMENT ACCORDING TO THEIR SELF REPORTS; THIS IS TRUE PARTICULARLY OF THESE YOUTH INVOLVED IN FAMILY COUNSELING. THEY EXPRESSED OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH THE PROGRAM, A SATISFACTION THAT APPARENTLY INCREASES FROM THE 6-MONTH TO 1-YEAR PERIOD. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (SEE NCJ-56229). (DAG)