Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/214181

Title

Aggression Replacement Training (ART) in Australia: a longitudinal youth justice evaluation

Author(s)

Currie, Matthew R.;  Wood, Catherine E.;  Williams, Benedict;  Bates, Glen W.

Abstract

This article describes the findings from a two-year longitudinal evaluation of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) in an Australian youth justice custodial setting. Twenty aggressive juvenile offenders (M = 19.6; SD = .60) were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, six-month, and 24-month follow-up. As predicted, participants reported significant reductions in aggressive behaviours and thoughts, cognitive distortions, and impulsivity and some improvement in social problem-solving skills at treatment-end. These treatment effects were maintained at the two-year follow-up. Contrary to expectations, worker ratings of participant's aggressive/antisocial behaviours did not show significant reduction at the six-month follow-up. This measure had not previously been used in a correctional setting and the workers may have been unreliable respondents due to their lack of knowledge of the ART participants. Despite efforts, a waitlist comparison group was not obtained. Further investigation with a control comparison and a reliable non-self-report informant is required. However, the results suggest initial support for the cultural and age-related applicability of ART and its social learning procedures for this group of moderate-to-high-risk young-adult offenders.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences

Source

Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, Vol. 19, no. 4 (Aug 2012), pp. 577-604

Publication year

2012

FOR Code(s)

1701 Psychology;  170104 Forensic Psychology;  170106 Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology;  1702 Cognitive Sciences;  1801 Law

Keyword(s)

Aggression replacement training;  Cognitive-behavioural therapy;  Evaluation;  Outcome study;  Treatment;  Violent offenders;  Youth justice

Publisher

Routledge

ISSN

1321-8719

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2011.615807

Copyright

Copyright © 2011 The Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.

Peer reviewed