NCJ Number
127238
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 16 Issue: 1/2 Dated: (1990) Pages: 47-64
Date Published
1990
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article describes the cognitive-behavioral group therapy approach used by a team of school psychologists to treat the delinquent behavior of 82 adolescents; program evaluation methodology and results are reported.
Abstract
The Rational Behavior Training Group (RBTG) is an after-school treatment program for adolescent offenders between 13 and 18 years old who have been referred to the program by the juvenile court. The RBTG operates principally under a format derived from the concepts of rational-emotive theory. Group members' past delinquency as well as their current and future social behavior are discussed in terms of self-reported thoughts and beliefs. Behavioral rehearsal, modeling, and positive reinforcement techniques are used. The week before the first of six 2-hour therapy sessions begins, the juveniles and their parents have an orientation session at the RBTG site. The 3-member therapist team rotates the roles of teaching, group process, and confrontational/behavioral management. The teaching therapist presents the topic for each session. The therapist responsible for group process guides the group toward making the transition from cognitive understanding to behavioral application. The therapist responsible for in-group behavioral management and therapeutic confrontation confronts group members regarding their specific behaviors within and outside the group. A 1-year followup study found no new referrals to juvenile court for 59.8 percent of the participants. 2 tables and 22 references