Cognitive Behavioral Interventions with Youthful Offenders But its

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions with Youthful Offenders “But it’s not my fault!” Dr. Steve Parese Danbury, NC

Today’s Agenda 1. What predicts criminality? Which interventions work best? 2. What is Cognitive Skills Instruction? How do we use it? 3. What is Cognitive Restructuring? How do we use it?

Part 1: Predicting Criminality Is it possible to predict which youth are most likely to become habitual offenders later in life? And if so, does that mean we can intervene?

Predictors of Criminality What elements of ENVIRONMENT and/or PERSONALITY most accurately predict later criminality? Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

What Predicts Criminality? #6: Low Levels of Personal Achievement (academic, vocational, etc. ) Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

What Predicts Criminality? #5: Criminality and Psychological Problems in Family of Origin Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

What Predicts Criminality? #4: History of Antisocial Behavior from an early age Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

What Predicts Criminality? #3: Temperament & Personality Factors (poor impulsive or anger management, poor insight, etc. ) Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

What Predicts Criminality? #2: Association with antisocial peers Isolation from prosocial peers Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

What Predicts Criminality? #1: Antisocial and procriminal attitudes Based on research by Paul Gendreau, 1996 through NIC Academy, Longmont, CO.

B. What Actually Works? Which approach has the greatest success?

So What Works? 1. Psychotherapy Minimal impact on institutional adjustment 1% reduction in recidivism

So What Works? 2. Behavior Management Immediate but fading impact on institutional adjustment 10% reduction in recidivism

So What Works? 3. Cognitive. Behavioral Intervention Gradual impact on institutional adjustment 30% -50% reduction in recidivism

Key Point #1 The strongest predictor of criminality is antisocial thinking. As a result, the most effective approaches are cognitive behavioral interventions (CBI), which target antisocial thinking and help high-risk youth learn prosocial skills for handling challenging situations.

Part 2: Cognitive Skills Instruction is used when antisocial behavior is due primarily to a lack of prosocial skills.

Cognitive Skills Instruction = NEW TOOLS TEACH NEW PROSOCIAL SKILLS

Cognitive Life Skills What personal and interpersonal life skills are needed to succeed in today’s world -- without aggression or manipulation? Work in groups to brainstorm your ideas.

Cognitive Life Skills What personal and interpersonal life skills are needed to succeed in today’s world? 1. SOCIAL SKILLS • Starting a conversation • Apologizing • Giving a compliment Drawn from “The Prepare Curriculum” by Arnold Goldstein

Cognitive Life Skills What personal and interpersonal life skills are needed to succeed in today’s world? 2. DEALING W/STRESS • Controlling your anger • Making a complaint • Dealing with accusation Drawn from “The Prepare Curriculum” by Arnold Goldstein

Cognitive Life Skills What personal and interpersonal life skills are needed to succeed in today’s world? 3. UNDERSTANDING FEELINGS • Expressing your feelings • Understanding others’ feelings • Dealing with others’ anger Drawn from “The Prepare Curriculum” by Arnold Goldstein

Cognitive Life Skills What personal and interpersonal life skills are needed to succeed in today’s world? 4. PLANNING SKILLS • Identifying the problem • Setting a goal • Gathering information Drawn from “The Prepare Curriculum” by Arnold Goldstein

How to teach PROSOCIAL SKILLS

How to teach PROSOCIAL SKILLS 1. DESCRIBE IT Break the skill into simple steps. Provide a clear rationale for learning the skill.

How to teach PROSOCIAL SKILLS 2. SHOW IT Provide a dramatic instructor demonstration in a realistic setting.

How to teach PROSOCIAL SKILLS 3. TRY IT Guide student skill practice in personally relevant and realistic role plays.

How to teach PROSOCIAL SKILLS 4. COACH IT Provide feedback and coaching from peers and instructors.

How to teach PROSOCIAL SKILLS 5. PRACTICE IT Practice the skill in real life situations. Process these attempts in later sessions.

How To Handle Criticism What are the essential steps of this skill? Work in groups to brainstorm your ideas. 1. _____________ 2. _____________ 3. _____________

How To Handle Criticism What are the essential steps of this skill? Work in groups to brainstorm your ideas. 1. Stop & Think 2. Listen Carefully 3. Show You Understand 4. Ask for Their Solution 5. Tell Your Side

Key Point #2 Youthful offenders have often never learned the prosocial skills that are necessary to manage social situations without manipulation and/or violence. Cognitive skills instruction teaches skills such as self-control, effective communication, and problem solving through a dynamic process of demonstration and role-playing.

Part 3: Cognitive Restructuring is used when antisocial behavior is due primarily to entrenched antisocial beliefs.

Cognitive Restructuring= NEW RULES CHALLENGE OLD ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES

Antisocial Distortions 1. Self Centeredness Focusing exclusively on own needs, feelings, or perspective. Disregarding those of others. 2. Blaming Others Putting responsibility onto others, society, bad mood, etc. Seeing self as a victim of others or fate. Source: Gibbs, J. C. , Potter, G. H. , & Goldstein, A. P. (1995). The EQUIP Program. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

Antisocial Distortions 3. Minimizing/Mislabeling Understating the seriousness of actions, or labeling others in belittling or dehumanizing terms. 4. Assuming the Worst Attributing hostile intentions or fixating on negative outcomes. Assuming improvement is impossible. Source: Gibbs, J. C. , Potter, G. H. , & Goldstein, A. P. (1995). The EQUIP Program. Champaign, IL: Research Press.

Antisocial Distortions A. “It wasn’t that bad. I could have broken his nose and all I did was push him. ” Minimizing/Mislabeling B. “Why should I feel bad? Everyone knows she’s a @#$%-ing whore. ” Minimizing/Mislabeling 36 36

Antisocial Distortions C. “You have to look out for number one. Nobody else will. ” Self-Centeredness D. “Give me a break! I was having a bad day -- what do you want? Actually, this never would have happened if my teacher hadn’t. . ” Blaming Others 37 37

Antisocial Distortions E. “I saw the way she looked at me. She was getting ready to bust on me, make me look bad. ” Assuming the Worst F. “Rules are meant for other people, not for me. ” Self-Centeredness 38 38

Antisocial Distortions G. “I’ll @#$% up regardless, so why put in the effort? It’s hopeless. I’m just like my father. ” Assuming the Worst H. “It’s not my fault he got hurt. He should have been watching where he was going. ” Blaming Others 39 39

How to challenge ANTISOCIAL ATTITUDES BENIGN CONFRONTATION A cognitive counseling technique which leads youth to an uncomfortable level of selfawareness regarding their justifications.

Benign Confrontation Methodology 1. LISTEN 2. SUMMARIZE 3. CHALLENGE RULES

“ZINGERS” You can CHALLENGE a justification by SEPARATING LAWS OF: “Where I come from you can’t let someone talk to you like that…” 1. Street vs School Help youth see that what might be acceptable at home or on the streets is NOT acceptable in school/program.

Benign Confrontatio “Where I come from…” Separating Street vs School “I understand that on the streets, you might have to take matters into your own hands. On the streets, there’s no one there to protect you, so you have to take care of yourself. But here in this program, things are different. Here, the staff are paid to keep kids safe. . “Now I want you to think about this while I take an important call. .

“ZINGERS” You can CHALLENGE a justification by APPEALING TO: “He asked for it, he got what he deserved…” 2. CHARACTER Help youth gain empathy for the other person by appealing to his better nature.

Benign Confrontation “He asked for it, by Appealing to Character he got what he deserved…” “I can see that there’s a part of you that thinks Richard deserves what he got. But there’s another part of you -- a kinder part of you -- that knows quite well that you went overboard. You were so helpful last week when I “I have another matter to deal with, but needed someone to do that tour. when we’re going to talk Where. I get wasback that boy today? ” more about this. .

“ZINGERS” You can CHALLENGE a justification by APPEALING TO: 3. SELF-INTEREST “It was worth it to teach that punk a lesson…” Help the youth see how his choice was not in his own long-term best interest

Benign “It was. Confrontation worth it by to teach that punk a lesson…” Appealing to Self-Interest “So you’re saying that it was worth it all to put that aggravating classmate of yours in his place. I can see where you got some satisfaction by giving him a black eye. . . But look at all the consequences you have to deal with now! You’ll be confined to your room, unable to watch tonight’s movie, and restricted from playing “I need in to the usebasketball the men’stournament. room, but I’ll Honestly, I’m surprised. be right back. Why don’t I’ve youalways think on thought were way too smart to lose this foryou a minute? ” your temper this way. ”

“ZINGERS” You can CHALLENGE a justification by: “What’s the big deal? I was only borrowing those tools. . . ” 4. RELABELING Behavior Relabel the youth’s antisocial behavior in more accurate terms.

Benign Confrontation by “I was only borrowing those tools. . . ” Relabeling Behavior “You can say you were only ‘borrowing’ those tools from the auto tech shop, but we both know what happened. Mr. Johnson had to leave for a minute, and you took advantage of that moment to walk off with something that wasn’t yours. That’s not “I‘borrowing, ’ have to say, I’m disappointed. You it’s STEALING. . . and you have $20 worth of tools, and all it cost know it too. ” you was the respect I used to have for you. Think about it for a minute. . ”

Key Point #3 Many at-risk youth use distorted thinking to justify their antisocial choices, avoiding guilt and remorse for hurtful behavior. Cognitive restructuring creates an ‘uncomfortable level of selfawareness’ in them, bringing thinking to the surface and often motivating behavioral change as well.

Part 4: Stages of Change takes time, and often occurs through a series of predictable stages. Forced or rushed changes seldom last.

Self-change requires an uncomfortable level of self-awareness. Think about a change you made in your life, perhaps after years of resistance. Why did you eventually decide to change?

Stage 1: Resistance It isn’t that we can’t find a solution, it’s that we don’t see the problem! Many years

Stage 2: Thinking We are aware of the problem and its consequences, but haven’t made a real commitment to solving it yet. 6+ months from change

Stage 3: Planning We intend to make a real change in the next 30 days. We set solid goals and develop plans to reach those goals. Next 30 days

Stage 4: Action We actively begin a planned improvement by changing our behavior, our experiences, and/or our environment. First 6 months

Stage 5: Maintenance We’ve been fairly successful in making change during this period, and new habits are fairly well established. Good Things in Life 6+ months

Nick about his fighting: “I DO lose my cool from time to time. I know I ought to do something about it, cuz I get in trouble all the time for it, but nothing seems to work for me. I guess I’m just hotheaded by nature. ” Which stage of change is he in? Stage 2: Thinking

Anna about her drug use: “It’s a day-by-day thing. I’ve been clean and sober for nearly a year now, going to NA meetings and all, but there was a time when I thought I wasn’t going to make it. ” Which stage of change is she in? Stage 5: Maintenance

Terry about his auto theft. “Enough is enough. This time I got 60 days in the detention center, and the judge told me the next time I would be tried as an adult. When I get out next week. . Which stage of change is he in? Stage 3: Planning

Key Point #4 The only true and lasting change is SELF-change, which takes place through a series of predictable stages. While troubled youth may resist pressure from adult authorities, they are often open to the influence of mentor relationships, and may be inspired (but not forced) to change.

THANK YOU! Dr. Steve Parese For more information about staff training this content, email me SBParese@aol. com or visit: Dr. Steve Parese Workin. It. Out. com TACT 2. com