WHY ACT IS DIFFERENT
Medical Model Assumptions-
Many of you are likely knowledgeable
of the types of therapy provided
in residential programs- therapy
which attempts to change youth behavior.
Yet we seldom consider how deeply
our assumptions about therapy are
rooted in a medical model that views
delinquent and destruction behavior
as caused by mental or emotional
illness. In the medical model, an
expert mental health professional
is essential to “diagnosis” the
exact nature and causer of the “illness”
and prescribe a cure. This is a
mistaken model for much (but not
all) of delinquency. In fact, across
the country, experts have failed
to make this medical model work
for decades, because it’s the wrong
model. And research has shown the
very poor outcomes of psychotherapy.
Over 500 research studies, with good
designs and control groups, failed
to find any benefit from “psychodynamic
based” treatment (1996 International
Community Corrections Assoc. Symposium-
“What Works”, sponsored by the Canadian
CJS and Temple University). A few
types of therapy have proven effective-
family therapy and educational based
approaches have some positive outcomes
(in the range of 10% improvements
in pre-post test scores across a wide
range of measures- not very potent
either).
ACT is Research Based-
In the past decade the work of
David Hawkins, et. al., of the
Seattle Research Group, has been
popularized by the Office of Juvenile
Justice & Delinquency Prevention
as a promising approach. It is
based on an analysis of risk factors
and preventative factors which
are statistically proven to be
associated (correlated) with delinquency.
Findings suggest that poor values
and poor role models, lack of attachment
to community and family, are all causative
factors related to delinquency, along
with family history. This research
gives rise to national programs like
“Forty Assets” which try to build
competencies in all youth. Hawkins
has also found that involvement of
youth in structure recreation, and
with positive role models, is a preventative
factor which can inoculate youth who
have these risk factors- preventing
some of them from becoming delinquents.
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