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Classifying Violent versus Non-Violent Offending in a Diverse Sample of Adolescent Juvenile Delinquents
The purpose of the study was to examine whether a set of theoretically and empirically established risk factors could contribute to the classification of violent versus non-violent offending in an ethnically diverse sample of male and female adolescent juvenile delinquents. Variables examined included economic disadvantage, grade point average (GPA), sex, dependency involvement, special education diagnosis, specific learning disability diagnosis, emotional disability diagnosis, history of illegal substance violation, and recidivism. Observed versus expected frequencies of violent versus non-violent offending across different ethnicity categories were also examined. It was hypothesized that economic disadvantage and grade point average would not significantly contribute to the classification of violent versus non-violent offense group membership in juvenile delinquents. It was hypothesized that sex, dependency involvement, special education diagnosis, specific learning disability diagnosis, emotional disability diagnosis, history of illegal substance violation, and recidivism would significantly contribute to the classification of violent versus non-violent offense group membership in juvenile delinquents. It was also hypothesized that there would be no significant differences between observed versus expected frequency of violent versus non-violent offending across ethnicity categories.A discriminant analysis retained five of nine variables in the final stepwise model, including recidivism, illegal substance violation history, special education diagnosis, emotional disability diagnosis, and specific learning disability diagnosis. While variables in the analysis significantly contributed to the classification of non-violent group membership, the model yielded low hit ratio for classification of cases into the violent group. A chi-square analysis was also conducted to examine whether there were significant differences between observed and expected frequencies across different ethnicity categories with regard to violent versus non-violent offense group membership. No significant association existed between ethnicity and the juvenile delinquents' expected versus observed frequency of violent versus non-violent offender group membership. Implications of these findings, limitations of the study, and areas for future research are discussed
Childhood Fears, Phobias, and Related Anxieties
In this chapter, we have reviewed prevalence information, assessment considerations, and four general categories of empirically supported treatment methods for reducing children\u27s (and adolescent\u27s) fears, phobias and related anxieties. In addition, variations of each method were discussed as was research supporting the relative effectiveness and efficacy of these methods. Reinforced practice and participant modeling procedures have been found to have the most empirical support, followed by systematic desensitization, modeling and cognitive behavior therapy approaches. Of key importance is the recent emphasis on guidelines for treatment efficacy. Interest in this topic has increased considerably not only among researchers and practitioners, but also policymakers, the insurance industry, and the general public. The ubiquity of the evidence-based designation, however, has engendered considerable debate. For example, Kazdin and Weisz (2003) noted that \u27...treatments must use replicable procedures (e.g., treatments codified in manuals), must be evaluated in well-controlled experiments, and must show replication of effects so there are assurances that any seemingly wonderful outcome or effect in fact can be reproduced... (p. xiii). In addition, the APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (APA, 2005) adopted the following definition of the term: Evidence-based practice in psychology is the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences (APA, 2005). Although there is little question about the relative effectiveness of the treatment procedures discussed in this chapter in comparison to no treatment control conditions, little comparison outcome research has been published on the relative efficacy of these methods in, for example, school settings--especially in relation to an attention placebo and wait-list control condition.
In addition, many of the effectiveness studies which have been published have excluded participants who have various comorbid emotional, behavioral, and/or learning problems, when it could be argued that such participants may, in fact, be more representative of those individuals whom clinicians see on a regular basis within the clinic, school, private practice, or hospital setting. Assuming that this is the case, it would be important for future research to examine the relative contribution of various comorbid psychiatric or psychoeducational conditions to the outcome of each of these latter treatment methods. Research is also needed that examines the conditions under which these fear and anxiety reduction approaches, in particular, are effective. In addition, research is needed on the relative contribution of various relationship variables on the outcome of treatment using these therapy procedures. Furthermore, research efforts should be focused on the prevention of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Implementing intervention programs, for example in a school setting, within a three-tiered prevention framework has potential benefits for reaching a significant number of youth suffering from anxiety. Use of this model may help to reduce the overall incidence of anxiety as well as the long-term consequences associated with these disorders