A randomized clinical trial of motivational interviewing plus skills training vs. Relaxation plus education and 12-Steps for substance using incarcerated youth: Effects on alcohol, marijuana and crimes of aggression.

Background: Motivational Interviewing plus Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MI/CBT) has been used to reduce adolescent substance use, but has rarely been applied in youth correctional settings. This trial compared MI/CBT against Relaxation Training plus Substance-Education/12-Steps (RT/SET) to reduce substance use and crime among incarcerated youth.

Methods: Participants (N = 199) were incarcerated juveniles (64.

Adolescent Substance Treatment Engagement Questionnaire for Incarcerated Teens.

Background: Treatment engagement is often measured in terms of treatment retention and drop out, resource utilization, and missed appointments. Since persons may regularly attend treatment sessions but not pay close attention, actively participate, or comply with the program, attendance may not reflect the level of effort put into treatment. Teens in correctional settings may feel coerced to attend treatment, making it necessary to develop measures of treatment involvement beyond attendance.

Measuring behaviors of individual adolescents during group-based substance abuse intervention.

Background: Group treatment is delivered in youth correctional facilities, yet groups may be iatrogenic. Few measures with demonstrated psychometric properties exist to track behaviors of individuals during groups. The authors assessed psychometrics for the Group Process-Individual Level measure (GP-IL) of group treatment.