Citation

Banks B, Kuhn T, Urbano Blackford J. J. Juv. Justice 2015; 4(1): 1-17.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, In Public Domain (U.S. Department of Justice OJJDP), Publisher CSR)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The prevalence of mental and emotional disturbance is a persistent problem for youth detained in correctional facilities. Females within this population, while often considered by the social science and juvenile justice communities to be a subset of their male counterparts, present with unique biological, cultural, social, and psychological stressors, including extensive trauma histories and internalizing behaviors. In addition, organizational barriers to the implementation of many treatment models exist for females in juvenile justice settings; hence, little evidence-based mental health treatment designed specifically for this population currently exists. There is evidence that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) successfully addresses many of the types of problems presented by this population. In this study, we examined the implementation process and treatment outcomes of a modified DBT group in a correctional facility for adolescent females with a variety of mental and emotional problems. Mental health program implementation was the main focus of this study. Modifications were made to group leaders' training requirements, duration of the group, and group session format to fit the needs of this population. A brief description of preliminary treatment outcomes is included.

Keywords: evidence-based programs, incarcerated juveniles, mental health disorders, juvenile justice

Language: en