GROUP TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS - REVIEW OF THE OUTCOME LITERATURE

This paper has reviewed 32 studies which evaluated group treatment of juvenile delinquents. A methodological evaluation was conducted within five areas: time periods, subjects, therapists, treatment, and outcome measures. A considerable number of methodological problems were found, most notably in regard to the failure to specify the characteristics of treatment and the lack of follow-up evaluation of the delinquents' adjustment to the outside community. The studies were reviewed within four outcome categories: personality and attitude measures, behavioral measures, recidivism measures, achievement and intelligence measures. Positive results were obtained on less than one-third of all measures in all outcome categories. Overall, behavioral and modeling groups appeared the most effective, although these groups did not facilitate change on recidivism measures. Closed milieu group treatment seemed superior to open milieu group treatment across therapy, discussion, and behavioral groups.