Juveniles who commit crimes are likely to exhibit conduct problems in their youth. Persistent and long-term antisocial behavior can be seen in very young children. To treat these children, programs must be designed to meet the needs of them on an individualized basis. Residential treatment, typically, is the answer, but research has shown its ineffectiveness. Longitudinal studies and meta-analyses have shown cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to be effective. Mode deactivation therapy (MDT) is a form of CBT based on the theory of a network of cognitive, affective, motivational, and behavioral components that create a personality-"modes." Modes are activated and create emotional dysregulation and behavioral disorders. In MDT, using a manualized treatment, the therapist reduces symptoms of behavior disorder, physical and sexual aggression, anxiety, and traumatic stress while keeping the juvenile offenders out of long-term, out-of-home placements. This present study examines 39 adjudicated Pennsylvania males (ages ranging from 14 to 17). Using baseline scores and comparing them to posttreatment scores, outcomes are measure and the effectiveness of MDT can be observed. It is important to note that all measures of the DSMD, the CBCL, the Beliefs about Victims, the Beliefs about Aggression, and the JSOP-A show a significant decreases in antisocial behaviors. Additionally, at the one year mark, recidivism rates were 7% and none were personal or sexual offenses.

Children often have complex emotional and behavioral disorders (ADHD, ODD, Depression, PTSD, etc.). A large amount of research exists in the behavioral treatment of children with these disorders regarding specific behavioral problems. Much less research exists for the treatment of comprehensive problematic behaviors that these children experience in the real world. This effectiveness study evaluates the program at Behavior Analysis & Therapy Partners (BATP) for the treatment of children in their program with emotional and behavioral disorders. Sixteen children were treated in the community using what has come to be known as Behavioral Health Rehabilitative Services (BHRS) in the state of Pennsylvania. BATP uses a behavior analytic model for treating these disorders which features a functional behavioral assessment of problem behaviors and individual interventions based on the understanding of function. This evaluation found that 62.5% of the children made clinically significant reliable change within 278 days of entering the program. This paper presents a detailed analysis of those results. Since this is the first evaluation of the therapeutic properties of BHRS, clinical implications and future research directions are highlighted.

Juveniles who commit crimes are likely to exhibit conduct problems in their youth. Persistent and long-term antisocial behavior can be seen in very young children. To treat these children, programs must be designed to meet the needs of them on an individualized basis. Residential treatment, typically, is the answer, but research has shown its ineffectiveness. Longitudinal studies and meta-analyses have shown cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to be effective. Mode deactivation therapy (MDT) is a form of CBT based on the theory of a network of cognitive, affective, motivational, and behavioral components that create a personality -"modes." Modes are activated and create emotional dysregulation and behavioral disorders. In MDT, using a manualized treatment, the therapist reduces symptoms of behavior disorder, physical and sexual aggression, anxiety, and traumatic stress while keeping the juvenile offenders out of long-term, out-of-home placements. This present study examines 39 adjudicated Pennsylvania males (ages ranging from 14 to 17). Using baseline scores and comparing them to post-treatment scores, outcomes are measure and the effectiveness of MDT can be observed. It is important to note that all measures of the DSMD, the CBCL, the Beliefs about Victims, the Beliefs about Aggression, and the JSOP-A show a significant decreases in antisocial behaviors. Additionally, at the one year mark, recidivism rates were 7% and none were personal or sexual offenses.