Treatment Readiness in Adolescents Residing in Forensic Services
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Treatment Readiness from the Perspective of Adolescents Residing in Forensic Services: Reasons For and Against Engaging in Treatment.
IRAS ID
135419
Contact name
Danielle Sturgess
Contact email
Research summary
This research aims to identify reasons why adolescents, residing in a secure hospital setting, engage or choose not to engage (i.e. refuse to attend treatment/choose not to contribute to the session) in treatment. Poor engagement in treatment is associated with non-completion of treatment (Day, Howells, Casey, Ward, Chambers & Birgden, 2009). Non-completion of treatment is associated with increased risk of reoffending (McMurran & Theodosi, 2007) and longer stay in secure settings which is in turn associated with additional financial costs and low staff morale (Howells & Day, 2007). Therefore research into why individuals residing in forensic settings do/do not engage in treatment is needed to better inform rehabilitation. To date, reasons for engaging/not engaging in treatment has only been explored within an adult population and therefore research regarding an adolescent population is required.
Adolescent participants taking part in the research will be interviewed once a week for 2 weeks on their reasons for engaging/not engaging in their treatment that week. Session attendance will be monitored via reference to their clinical notes for 6 weeks.
Reasons for engaging/not engaging in treatment will be categorised using the Multifactorial Offender Readiness Model (Ward, Day, Howells, & Birgden, 2004). This model suggests that ‘an offender will only be ready to change offending to the extent that he or she possesses certain cognitive, emotional, volitional and behaviour properties (Internal Factors), and lives in an environment where such changes are possible and supported (External Factors; Ward, Day, Howells, & Birgden, 2004, pg.650). To date, the MORM has only been applied within an adult offending population and therefore this research also aims to extend the application of the MORM within a forensic adolescent population. Validating the MORM in this population will inform practitioners on how to tailor treatment to better meet the needs of its adolescent clients and promote treatment completion.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/0005
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion