Multisystemic therapy across the lifespan : a 21.9-year follow-up to a randomized clinical trial with serious and violent juvenile offenders

In this study, we examined the long-term criminal and civil court outcomes of 176 serious and violent juvenile offenders who had participated in either multisystemic therapy (MST) or individual therapy (IT) in a randomized clinical trial (Borduin et al., 1995). Data on criminal arrests, incarceration, and civil court involvement were obtained on average 21.9 years (range 18.3 - 23.8) after treatment completion when participants were on average 37.3 years old. Results showed that MST participants had significantly lower recidivism rates than IT participants for violent crimes (23.2% vs. 39.2%, respectively) and for all felony class crimes (39.5% vs. 58.2%, respectively). Additionally, MST participants were involved in fewer civil court suits related to family instability (e.g., divorces, paternity suits). The present study represents the longest and most comprehensive follow-up to date of a MST clinical trial and suggests that MST is relatively effective in reducing long-term criminal activity among serious and violent juvenile offenders.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychological sciences (MU)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Sawyer, Aaron M. (Aaron Martin)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Borduin, Charles M.

Statement dc:rights

• OpenAccess.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/5730

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/5730