Does intra-individual change predict offender recidivism? Searching for the Holy Grail in assessing offender change

The Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Scale (SPSI-R) has been shown to be a reliable and valid self-report measure of social problem-solving abilities. In busy medical and rehabilitation settings, a brief and efficient screening version with psychometric properties similar to the SPSI-R would have numerous benefits including decreased patient and caregiver assessment burden and administration/scoring time. Thus, the aim of the current study was to identify items from the SPSI-R that would provide for a more efficient assessment of global social problem-solving abilities. This study consisted of three independent samples: 121 persons in low-vision rehabilitation (M age=71 years old, SD=15.53), 301 persons living with diabetes mellitus (M age=58, and SD=14.85), and 131 family caregivers of persons with severe disabilities (M age=56 years old, SD=12.15). All persons completed a version of the SPSI-R, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Using Rasch scaling of the SPSI-R short-form, we identified a subset of 10 items that reflected the five-component model of social problem solving. The 10 items were separately validated on the sample of persons living with diabetes mellitus and the sample of family caregivers of persons with severe disabilities. Results indicate that the efficient 10-item version, analyzed separately for all three samples, demonstrated good reliability and validity characteristics similar to the established SPSI-R short form. The 10-item version of the SPSI-R represents a brief, effective way in which clinicians and researchers in busy health care settings can quickly assess global problem-solving abilities and identify those persons at-risk for complicated adjustment. Implications for the assessment of social problem-solving abilities are discussed.

Efficient Assessment of Social Problem-Solving Abilities in Medical and Rehabilitation Settings: A Rasch Analysis of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised

Due to the popularity of cognitive behavioral interventions, programs that follow this model are often assumed to be effective. Yet evaluations of specific programs have been slow in coming. The current investigation seeks to bridge this gap by evaluating the effectiveness of Thinking for a Change (TFAC), a widely used cognitive behavioral curriculum for offenders. Furthermore, this evaluation provides a “real-world” test of TFAC, because it was implemented by line staff in a community corrections agency as opposed to being a pilot project implemented by program developers. The results of the analyses indicate that offenders participating in the TFAC program had a significantly lower recidivism rate than similar offenders that were not exposed to the program.

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A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Thinking for a Change A “Real-World” Application

Recidivism among U.S. military veterans with criminal justice system involvement is of national concern. This article reviews evidence-based and promising treatments to reduce recidivism risk, and suggests treatment adaptations and research to ensure that treatments are effective for veterans. Interventions focus on the Risk-Need-Responsivity model, stating that treatments should target adults at high risk of recidivism, and account for individual characteristics. Promising are cognitive-behavioral treatments to change antisocial thinking, such as Moral Reconation Therapy, Reasoning and Rehabilitation, and Thinking For a Change. Treatments need evaluation within justice-involved veteran samples, and may require adaptation due to veterans' military training and experience, mental health concerns, and other characteristics. We present the Department of Veterans Affairs' efforts to reduce recidivism risk among the heterogeneous population of justice-involved veterans.

Treatments for Recidivism Risk Among Justice-Involved Veterans

Objectives:Research on criminal continuity and change has traditionally focused on elements of the adult life course (e.g., marriage and employment); however, recent social and economic changes sug...

Desistance from Crime during the Transition to Adulthood: The Influence of Parents, Peers, and Shifts in Identity

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a National Institute of Corrections’ cognitive-behavioral program for adult offenders, entitled Thinking for a Change One hundred male and 42 female probationers were studied Probationers assigned to the Thinking for a Change program were matched with a comparison group not assigned to the program and contrasted on interpersonal problem-solving skills pre- and post-program completion, and on recidivism at three months to one year post-program Results indicate a trend towards lower recidivism, with 33% fewer subjects who completed the program committing new offenses, compared to those who did not attend the program, over a period of up to 12 months Technical violations of probation were significantly higher for program dropouts than for completers or comparisons Program completers improved significantly on interpersonal problem-solving skills after Thinking for a Change, while the dropout and comparison groups had no such gains

Melissa Anne Cahill

Papers

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the National Institute of Corrections' “Thinking for a Change” Program Among Probationers