NCJ Number
70367
Date Published
1980
Length
23 pages
Annotation
A contingency management program is described for a Washington State School for adolescents with severe emotional disturbances.
Abstract
The school residents, who usually come from backgrounds of severe abuse (sexual and physical) and neglect, have been referred to the Antonian School after manifesting three of the following Level III behaviors: serious suicide attempts, self-mutilation, out-of-control temper tantrums, assaultiveness, fire setting, property destruction, inappropriate sexual behavior, enuresis and encopersis, severe depression, and prepsychotic behaviors. The school program is structured according to seven levels of behavioral advancement, and progress through the levels is stimulated by incentive point systems that produce monetary payments and positive peer culture. Realistic behavior expectations are targeted for each individual at each level. The overall goal is an incremental system that teaches out-of-control egocentric residents to take responsibility for their actions, assert internal control over their behavior, and eventually develop a positive self-image that enables them to influence other residents constructively. In addition to group therapy, each resident receives 2 hours of individual therapy each week. Therapists' approaches are eclectic, with dominant modes of treatment being behavior therapy, behavioral contracts, reality therapy, rational-emotive therapy, and Rogerian nondirective therapy. The residents' academic program is coordinated through the local public school system. Where a straight academic program is not appropriate, vocational training programs are used. Appended are the daily schedule of the school, a tabular description of the behavioral levels, and a sample of a Problem Oriented Record used with each resident. For related documents, see NCJ 70361-66 and 70368-77.