P.H. van der Laan

‘What works’ for juvenile prisoners: the role of group climate in a youth prison

The Dutch juvenile justice system locks up an increasing number of adolescent boys and girls at a cost of approximately €250,000 for each inmate annually (Boone & Moerings, 2007; Tonry, 2005). Questions have been raised, however, about the cost‐effectiveness of treatment in closed institutions. This study, with a sample of 49 adolescents residing in a Dutch youth prison, examined the role of group climate in establishing and maintaining treatment effects. Results show that an open group climate, with group workers paying more attention to the psychological needs of the adolescents and giving them ‘space’ to experiment, led to inmates feeling that they were ‘being understood by the group workers’. This perception of being understood was associated with greater treatment motivation and higher internal locus of control. Positive prison workers in the living group turned out to be a key factor in building an open group climate and subsequently higher internal locus of control and greater treatment motivation.

Changes in the Relative Importance of Dynamic Risk Factors for Recidivism During Adolescence

This study examined which dynamic risk factors for recidivism play an important role during adolescence. The sample consisted of 13,613 American juveniles who had committed a criminal offense. The results showed that the importance of almost all dynamic risk factors, both in the social environment domain (school, family, relationships) and in the individual domain (attitude, skills, aggressiveness), decreased as juveniles grew older. Therefore, the potential effect of an intervention aimed at these factors will also decrease as juveniles grow older. The relative importance of the risk factors also changed: In early adolescence, risk factors in the family domain showed the strongest association with recidivism, whereas in late adolescence risk factors in the attitude, relationships, and school domain were more strongly related to recidivism. These results suggest that the focus of an intervention needs to be attuned to the age of the juvenile to achieve the maximum potential effect on recidivism.

Fear is the key: keeping the balance between flexibility and control in a Dutch youth prison

Purpose – This study seeks to examine the education, safety, and professional attitudes of group workers in a Dutch youth prison and to analyse their perceptions of the organisational culture and leadership by line management. To achieve therapeutic goals, group workers must maintain a balance between flexibility and control.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 59 group workers (40 per cent male and 60 per cent female) randomly chosen from eight living groups (141 group workers) were interviewed and completed questionnaires.Findings – It was found that some interactions between group workers and prisoners created fear, suspicion, and violence, and that staff varied in their behavioural responses to perceived safety risks and disorder. “Transformational” leadership by management was associated with less fear, more flexibility, and less control; factors necessary to create a rehabilitative group climate.Originality/value – The findings of this study inform the treatment of young offenders in secure corr...

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.

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.

Neurobiological Factors as Predictors of Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy Outcome in Individuals With Antisocial Behavior: A Review of the Literature

This review focuses on the predictive value of neurobiological factors in relation to cognitive–behavioral therapy outcome among individuals with antisocial behavior. Ten relevant studies were found. Although the literature on this topic is scarce and diverse, it appears that specific neurobiological characteristics, such as physiological arousal levels, can predict treatment outcome. The predictive value of neurobiological factors is important as it could give more insight into the causes of variability in treatment outcome among individuals with antisocial behavior. Furthermore, results can contribute to improvement in current treatment selection procedures and to the development of alternative treatment options.

Moral judgment, cognitive distortions and implicit theories in young sex offenders

This study focused on moral judgment, cognitive distortions and implicit theories in 77 young sex offenders of whom 56 were child abusers and 21 were peer abusers. The sociomoral reflection measure–short form (SRM-SF) was used to assess moral judgment, and was extended with questions about sexual situations and the offenders’ abuse victim(s). Lower stage moral judgment was only found in peer abusers responding to own victim situations. The Sex With Children (SWCH) scale was used to measure implicit theories, which are beliefs justifying sex with children. No significant differences were found between the child and peer abuser group. Neither significant relations were found between the implicit theories and the level of moral judgment. In addition, all SRM-SF responses were coded according to Barriga and Gibbs’ (1996. Measuring cognitive distortion in antisocial youth: Development and preliminary validation of the ‘How I think’ questionnaire. Psychology Department, 22, 333–343) four-category typology of self-serving cognitive distortions. Cognitive distortions concerning the abuse victim were associated with lower stage moral judgment, but only in the peer abuser group.

The relationship between psychopathy and moral development in young sex offenders

Abstract This study examined the relationship between psychopathic traits and moral development (moral judgement and empathy) in 85 Dutch male sex offenders between 13 and 23 years of age. Questions were asked about general life situations, sexual situations with morally relevant features, and questions about the offenders own abuse victim. A weak negative association was found between psychopathy and mature moral judgement, but only when questions involved the offenders own abuse victim. Weak to moderate negative associations were found between psychopathy and cognitive and affective empathy in general and sexual situations, but not in the own abuse victim situations. Further analysis revealed moderate negative associations between psychopathy and affective empathy in the own abuse victim situations, but only when an unfamiliar victim was involved. This is the first study, to our knowledge, showing that juvenile sex offenders with high levels of psychopathy have context-specific moral deficits, and that in this group both cognitive and affective empathy are related to psychopathy.

Sekseverschillen in het verband tussen opvoedingsstijlen en delinquentie

SamenvattingIn deze longitudinale studie zijn sekseverschillen onderzocht in het verband tussen opvoedingsstijlen en delinquent gedrag. Hiervoor werden bij 330 Nederlandse jongeren vragenlijsten afgenomen tijdens de adolescentie en de jongvolwassenheid. Ook werd een vragenlijst afgenomen bij de ouders van de jongeren. Moeders bleken verschillende opvoedingsstijlen voor zonen en dochters te hanteren; dochters werden vaker autoritatief opgevoed door moeders, zonen vaker toegeeflijk. Daarnaast werd er een significant interactie-effect tussen de opvoedingsstijl van de vader en sekse gevonden: zonen vertoonden vaker delinquent gedrag tijdens de adolescentie wanneer hun vader een verwaarlozende opvoedingsstijl in dezelfde periode hanteerde. Dochters waren vaker delinquent wanneer zij werden opgevoed door een vader met een toegeeflijke opvoedingsstijl. Bovendien vertoonden zonen relatief vaker delinquent gedrag tijdens de jongvolwassenheid wanneer hun vader een verwaarlozende stijl hanteerde tijdens de adolescentie.SummariesHoeve, M., Van der Laan, P. H., Gerris, J. R. M., & Dubas, J. S. (2009). Sex differences in the link between parenting styles and delinquency. Kind en Adolescent, 30 (2), 122-136The present longitudinal study examined sex differences in the link between parenting styles and delinquency among 330 Dutch youngsters. Questionnaires were administered when the youngsters were adolescents and young adults. Parents were also questioned about parenting characteristics. Results revealed that mothers adopted different parenting styles for sons and daughters: daughters tended to have an authoritative mother and sons a permissive mother. A significant paternal parenting style by sex interaction was found: neglectful parenting was related to higher levels of delinquency in males and permissive parenting was linked to delinquency in females. A long-term relationship was found between fathers’ neglectful parenting style and delinquency in young male adults.