Lecture 12 - Treatment and Prevention of Delinquency and Aggression (ch.9)

Question 1

Attributional bias

Answer 1

aggressive children are more likely to attribute hostile intent to ambiguous social situations

Question 2

Basics idea about treatment of antisocial behavior

Answer 2

No simple treatment
The most important principle: the earlier the better
Many techniques used

Question 3

Techniques used to treat antisocial behaviour

Answer 3

Parent training program
Family therapy
Cognitive problem-solving skills training

Question 4

Best treatment for antisocial behaviour

Answer 4

usually involves comprehensive programs

Multisystemictreatment: a focus on children, family, peers, community, and school.

Question 5

Common features of parent training programs

Answer 5

• Teach parent to alter interaction with children to increase prosocial behaviour + decrease deviant behaviour
• Kid brought in also sometimes to train them on how to interact with each other

Question 6

Features of cognitive problem-solving skills training

Answer 6

• Change child’s approach to problem solving/ interpersonal issues
• Prosocial behaviours are fostered
• Teach cognitive problem solving skills

Question 7

Why does some treatment actually make delinquency worse?

Answer 7

Deviancy training: the reinforcement of negative or delinquent behaviors by deviant peers

• Basically - if you put a bunch of bad kids together, they’ll form groups and do bad things together*

Question 8

Why are randomized control trials important?

Answer 8

Test the efficacy of well-intentioned interventions-they can be harmful.

Question 9

Explain the example study done to highlight prevention of ASB.

Mauritius

Answer 9

• Mauritius
• 100 kids given enrichment (nursery program, improved education, nutrition, physical exercise, lower teacher pupil ratio) from ages 3-5 AND 355 control
• Checked participants at 17-23 y.o
• Some participants were malnourished**

RESULTS
- The program was most effective in those at highest risk (i.e. malnourished)-this is general principle observed in studies of enrichment.

CAUTION
- we can’t tell what part about enrichment was actually helpful.

Question 10

Dodge et al. 2005 (READING 6)

Explain the Fast Track Program results and study

Answer 10

-Targeted high risk 5 year olds
- Program focused on maintaining treatment effects, which tend to decline over time
- Intervention was comprehensive and continuous(grade 1 to 10), and aimed at improving social-cognitive competencies
- It included
• Family-based interventions
• Peer social skills groups
• Parent behavior management training with home visits
• Individualized interventions (high school)
• Class-based social-cognitive skills development curriculum
• Professional tutoring
• Vocational counselling and summer employment (high school)
- Checked outcome 8 years after program ended

RESULTS

• rates of antisocial personality disorder lowered
• Lower violent and drug-related crime
• Less risky sexual behavior
• Higher well being
• No effect on general health, employment or, educational attainment.