Psychopathic Traits of Dutch Adolescents in Residential Care: Identifying Subgroups

The present study examined whether a sample of 214 (52.8% male, M age = 15.76, SD = 1.29) institutionalized adolescents could be classified into subgroups based on psychopathic traits. Confirmatory Factor Analyses revealed a relationship between the subscales of the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI) and the three latent constructs of the original model on which it is based. Latent Class Analyses showed that adolescents showing psychopathic traits could be classified into three subgroups. The first group showed low scores on the grandiose/manipulative dimension, the callous/unemotional dimension, and the impulsive/irresponsible dimension (normal group). The second group scored moderate on the grandiose/manipulative dimension and the callous/unemotional dimension and high on the impulsive/irresponsible dimension (impulsive, non-psychopathic-like group). The third group scored high on all three dimensions (psychopathy-like group). The findings revealed that the impulsive, non-psychopathic like group scored significantly higher on internalizing problem behavior compared to the normal group, while the psychopathy-like and the impulsive, non-psychopathic-like group both scored higher on externalizing problem behavior compared to the normal group. Based on a self-report delinquency measure, it appeared that the psychopathy-like group had the highest delinquency rates, except for vandalism. Both the impulsive and psychopathy-like group had the highest scores on the use of soft drugs

Nieuw Zorgaanbod: Gesloten jeugdzorg voor adolescenten met ernstige gedragsproblemen

Tot voor kort werd een toenemend aantal jongeren met ernstige gedragsproblemen in jeugdgevangenissen geplaatst. Deze jongeren, ook wel ‘civielrechtelijke’ jongeren genoemd, werden niet geplaatst vanwege veroordelingen voor criminele activiteiten, maar omdat zij beschermd dienden te worden tegen zichzelf danwel tegen de omgeving. In 2004 werd in opdracht van het Ministerie voor Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport (VWS) door het Nederlands Jeugdinstituut (NJI) onderzoek gedaan naar deze groep civielrechtelijke jongeren in jeugdgevangenissen. Op basis van de bevindingen van dit onderzoek werd besloten een nieuw residentieel zorgaanbod te ontwikkelen, waarbij de door het NJI onderzochte groep de beoogde doelgroep vormde voor het nieuwe zorgaanbod. In de huidige studie is deze beoogde doelgroep vergeleken met de groep jongeren die daadwerkelijk binnen het nieuwe zorgaanbod is opgenomen. Om de kenmerken van de doelgroep te meten zijn de dossiers geanalyseerd van 317 jongeren (63% jongens). De gemiddelde leeftijd van de jongeren was 15.68 (SD = 1.32). Wanneer de beoogde en daadwerkelijke doelgroep worden vergeleken, dan blijkt dat er verschillende significante verschillen zijn op zowel individueel, gezins-, als omgevingsniveau. De jongeren binnen het nieuwe zorgaanbod vertonen meer externaliserend, internaliserend probleemgedrag en suïcide/automutilatie, hebben meer politiecontacten, gebruiken vaker soft drugs en geweld binnen het gezin komt significant vaker voor vergeleken met de beoogde doelgroep. Ondanks dat het nieuwe zorgaanbod specifiek is ontwikkeld voor jongeren met ernstige gedragsproblemen en hun gezinnen, maken de ernst en verscheidenheid aan problematiek het creëren van betere toekomstperspectieven moeilijk

The associations between structural treatment characteristics and post-treatment functioning in compulsory residential youth care

Contains fulltext : 102944.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)In 2005 a new compulsory residential treatment program was developed for adolescents in need for protection against themselves or their environment. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of structural treatment characteristics of this new residential treatment program (i.e., duration of treatment, discharge status, and group composition in terms of sex) with post-treatment functioning. Additionally, the number of pre-treatment risk factors was included in the model. A total of 301 adolescents (174 boys, 127 girls), with a mean age at time of admittance of 15.50 (SD = 1.26) participated in this study. The number of risk factors was derived from treatment files of the adolescents at time of entrance. Six months after discharge, adolescents participated in a telephone interview to measure ten post-treatment variables indicating how well they were doing. The results showed that duration of treatment was related to post-treatment living situation, in that adolescents who were in treatment for shorter durations were more likely to live on their own after treatment. For discharge status, findings suggested that adolescents who were regularly discharged had more frequent contact with their family; however, they also showed higher alcohol consumption 6 months after treatment. Group composition was related to the girls' official offending, indicating that girls placed in mixed-sex groups showed significantly fewer official police contacts than did girls in girls-only treatment groups. Overall, structural treatment characteristics were hardly related to the adolescents' functioning after treatment. Suggestions for future research are discussed.20 p

Group Care Worker Behavior and Adolescents’ Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Compulsory Residential Care

Contains fulltext : 99368.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)In the present study, group care workers' behavior toward adolescents' problem behavior was measured. The sample consisted of 126 adolescents (M age = 15.80, SD = 1.23, 56% boys), residing in a new Dutch compulsory residential treatment program. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that group care workers exerted more structuring and controlling behavior toward adolescents with externalizing problems and more warmth and support toward adolescents with internalizing problems. No associations were found between group care workers' behavior and the adolescents' treatment progress. Clinical implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.19 p