G. H. P. van der Helm

Group climate, personality, and self-reported aggression in incarcerated male youth

Aggression in youth prison is considered a major problem, probably interfering with treatment and rehabilitative goals, and creating an unsafe work environment for group workers. The present study examined how inmates’ personality (dispositional characteristics) and living group climate (situational characteristics) contribute to aggression in a sample of 59 incarcerated delinquent boys. The results showed that open group climate was positively associated with agreeableness and openness and buffered against aggression through its positive effect on neuroticism. A repressive group climate was negatively associated with low neuroticism and proved to be unrelated to aggression. The discussion focuses on the importance of a positive living group climate for efficacious treatment and rehabilitation of incarcerated delinquent boys.

Group Climate and Empathy in a Sample of Incarcerated Boys

This study examined the influence of group climate on empathy in a Dutch youth correctional facility in a sample of 59 incarcerated delinquent boys. Higher levels of empathy have been shown to be associated with less delinquent and more prosocial behaviour and may therefore be vital for successful rehabilitation and recidivism reduction. Although empathy was originally considered to be a trait, recent neurobiological research has shown that empathy has state-like properties in that levels of empathy change in response to the social environment. This study showed that differences in group climate were associated with cognitive empathy in juvenile delinquents but not with affective empathy. It is speculated that inmates’ state-depressive feelings and anxiety could diminish the effects of prison group climate on affective empathy. The discussion focuses on group dynamics in youth correctional facilities. A positive prison group climate in a youth correctional facility could turn out to be a major factor contributing to effectiveness of secure institutional treatment.

Measuring Treatment Motivation in Secure Juvenile Facilities

The present study examined the validity and reliability of the Adolescent Treatment Motivation Questionnaire (ATMQ) in a sample of 264 adolescents in Dutch secure juvenile facilities. Confirmatory factor analysis of a single-factor model of “treatment motivation” showed a close fit to the data, indicating construct validity of the ATMQ. Concurrent validity was supported by significant relations between treatment motivation and living group climate. Internal consistency reliability in terms of Cronbach’s alpha was good (.84). The ATMQ proved to be insensitive to the tendency to provide socially acceptable or desirable answers, which supports discriminant validity, and was unrelated to sex, age, and self-reported aggression of the adolescents. The ATMQ is a parsimonious instrument (11 items) enabling future research on treatment motivation in secure juvenile facilities.

The Relationship Between Detention Length, Living Group Climate, Coping, and Treatment Motivation Among Juvenile Delinquents in a Youth Correctional Facility

This study examined the relationship between detention length, living group climate, coping, and treatment motivation among 59 juvenile delinquents in a Dutch youth correctional facility. Longer detention was associated with the perception of a more open living group climate, but proved to be unrelated to coping and treatment motivation. A repressive group climate was positively associated with passive coping. A more open group climate was associated with both more active coping and greater treatment motivation. Finally, analyses showed that the relation between open group climate and treatment motivation was mediated by active coping. Thus, creating an open group climate to foster active coping and greater treatment motivation is probably one of the most important challenges for youth correctional facilities.

Measuring Inappropriate Responses of Adolescents to Problematic Social Situations in Secure Institutional and Correctional Youth Care: A Validation Study of the TOPS-A

The present study examined the construct, concurrent and divergent validity, and reliability of the “Taxonomy of Problematic Social Situations-Adolescent self-report version” (TOPS-A) in a sample of 128 adolescents placed in Dutch secure juvenile facilities. The instrument measures inappropriate responses of adolescents to problematic social situations at the living group. Confirmatory factor analysis of a four-factor model (inappropriate responses to situations of disadvantage, competition, accepting/giving help, and accepting authority) with a second-order factor (inappropriate responses to problematic social situations) showed an exact fit to the data, indicating construct validity of the TOPS-A. Evidence for concurrent validity was found in associations with aggression and living group climate. Divergent validity could not be reliably assessed. Cronbach’s α reliability coefficients were satisfactory. The TOPS-A is a parsimonious instrument that can be used to assess and target inappropriate responses to problematic social situations in (delinquent) adolescents in secure institutional and correctional youth care.

Measuring group climate in a German youth prison: a German validation of the Prison Group Climate Instrument

The Prison Group Climate Instrument (PGCI) was developed to investigate group climate quality in forensic psychiatric institutions and secure residential treatment facilities for delinquent juveniles. The present study examined construct validity, convergent validity, and reliability of the German version of the PGCI. A confirmatory factor analysis with four first-order factors—“support,” “growth,” “group atmosphere,” and “repression”—and “overall group climate” as a second-order factor showed a good fit to the data and indicated construct validity of the German version of the PGCI. Preliminary support was found for convergent validity. Cronbachs alpha reliability coefficients were sufficient for all scales. The instrument can be used to improve service quality and gives inmates a voice.

Does punishment in secure residential youth care work? An overview of the evidence

Purpose – Violence is a common problem in secure residential units for young people. Group workers often think that young people have to learn to behave by means of punishment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether this approach is effective in these settings, and, if so, under what circumstances. Furthermore, it aims to provide alternatives to punishment when dealing with violence. Design/methodology/approach – Recent evidence on the effectiveness of punishment in secure residential units is reviewed. In addition, methods which are promising in dealing with violence are described. Findings – The review shows that punishment is often used to regain control by group workers or, alternatively, is a result of professional helplessness in the face of escalating problems. Only when the living group climate is marked by trust and cooperation can punishment be effective. Originality/value – Punishment in secure residential settings can have severe negative consequences. Nevertheless, group workers ...

Children in residential care: development and validation of a group climate instrument

Purpose: This study describes the development and validation of the Group Climate Instrument for Children aged 8 to 15 years (GCIC 8-15), which purports to measure the quality of group climate in residential care. Methods: A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on data of 117 children in Dutch residential youth care. Reliability analysis was performed and concurrent validity was tested. Results: An adequate fit of a two-factor model indicated construct validity of the GCIC 8-15. Reliability coefficients were good, and a significant correlation between perceived group climate and treatment motivation supported concurrent validity. Discussion: The GCIC 8-15 can be used to identify positive and negative aspects of group climate in residential youth care and enables further group climate research with children.

When I Don't Get What I Want, I Take It Because It's Mine. I–D Compensation and Incarcerated Adolescents in a Delayed-Return Society: An Application of Martin's Theory

Martin (1999a) proposes that present-day society differs from mankinds evolutionary past by a change from immediate returns, when living as hunter–gatherers, to a delayed-return system with the onset of agriculture and urban living. He assumes that a delayed-return system lacks frequent feedback necessary for goal orientation and perceived control, which may lead to various social psychological thinking errors, cognitive distortions and an external locus of control. This study was aimed at examining whether Martins I-D compensation theory could be applied in a sample of incarcerated juvenile delinquents in The Netherlands who frequently lack adequate feedback and control. Using questionnaires (N = 144) and semi-structured interviews (N = 40) with adolescents in secure institutional facilities, the results showed that feedback in the form of responsiveness of group workers was positively related to behavioural competence and subsequently to fewer criminal cognitions and self-serving cognitive distortions. In addition, self-serving cognitive distortions were positively associated with an external locus of control. These results provide insight into antecedents of criminal behaviour, and can be used to develop efficacious institutional treatment for juvenile delinquents.

Repression in Residential Youth Care: A Qualitative Study Examining the Experiences of Adolescents in Open, Secure and Forensic Institutions:

Repression in residential youth care institutions can manifest itself openly in coercive measures or may be concealed in staff behavior that is endemic to residential youth care, such as soft power and strict behavioral control (i.e., structure), which threatens rehabilitative goals and might even violate children’s rights. To increase awareness of particularly the more hidden aspects of repression, this qualitative study follows the framework method to examine processes that cause adolescents to experience repression. Semistructured interviews were conducted with an ethnic diverse sample of 32 adolescents from open, secure, and forensic (i.e., youth prisons) residential youth care institutions in the Netherlands. Results indicated that adolescents tend to accept structure, rules, coercion, and punishments, and that they expect staff to use their power to create order and safety. However, results also showed that restrictive measures may be approved by adolescents to cope with repression, taking the form of rationalization. Staff behavior perceived as unfair or excessive by the adolescents was conceived of as repressive. Respect for autonomy and providing treatment that is experienced as meaningful by the adolescents seem to decrease experienced repression.