Abstract
The research was conducted by a pretest and post-test conducted in a quasi-experimental design which aimed to determine effectiveness of Aggression Replacement Training (ART) on problem solving, anger and aggressive behaviour among adolescents with criminal attempts in Turkey. The study included 65 adolescents with criminal attempts (32 intervention, 33 control). There was no difference between the groups in terms of average age (16.13 ± 1.10 in the experimental group and 16.21 ± 0.89 in the control group). After the intervention, the experimental group showed significantly decreased Trait Anger levels (t = 1.906; P = 0.033), increased Anger Control scores (t = 2.522; P = 0.008), decreased Physical Aggression scores (t = 1.925; P = 0.031), decreased Hostility scores (t = 2.496; P = 0.009), increased Social Problem Solving total scores (t = 2.937; P = 0.005). Increased Anger Control scores were found to be significant when compared with the control group (t = 2.273, P = 0.026). These results showed that ART was effective on problem solving, anger and aggressive behaviour and can be used to develop positive behaviours among adolescents with criminal attempts.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), a total of 52,064 juveniles and adolescents were taken to security units in 2002, whereas this increased to 115,439 in 2013 (Turkish Statistical Institute, 2014a). Almost half of the children (42.540) are arrested by wounding crime (violence crime) (Turkish Statistical Institute, 2014a and Turkish Statistical Institute, 2014b). Rapid and uncontrolled urbanization, environmental effects such as increased migration from villages to cities with the high industrialization, children’s behaviour problems, alcohol – drug usage and chaotic families are the reasons of the above increase in the numbers. (Ayar & Ozturk, 2015).
Findings of large-scale epidemiological studies carried out on juvenile and adolescent mental health patients in Turkey show the rate of abnormal behaviours to be 10.3% at ages 12–18 (Erol, Kılıc, Ulusoy, Kececi, & Simsek, 1998). Even if the population of children and young people with behaviour problems differs from country to country, overall it is a cause of concern both for the children themselves and for their surroundings. Sixty-nine percent of juvenile offenders have mental disorders and 31% have severe mental disorders. The circumstances of the juvenile offenders and their guilt feelings boosted depression among them, leading to mental disorders such as paranoid ideation, anger and hostility (Karabulut, 2006). It has been concluded that approximately 42% of the children who drive to crime are using drugs. (Turkish Statistical Institute, 2014a). Delinquency which can be described as behavioral problem that identified by various factors; is a result of all negative factors such as mental, cognitive, family based and social based. (Williams-Evans & Myers, 2004).
Juvenile and adolescent offenders are an issue on the agenda not only in Turkey but in the rest of the world (Gladstone, Kessler, & Stevens, 2006). According to the Juvenile Offenders and Victims National Report Series (February 2014), approximately 1.4 million adolescents stood trial in the United States in 2010 due to violating laws. While the number of cases tried in juvenile courts constantly increased between 1985 and 1997 (61%), it decreased by 27% between 1997 and 2010 (Puzzanchera & Robson, 2014). For juvenile cases, violent crimes showed a constant decrease throughout the decade from 1994 to 2004. However, they increased again between 2004 and 2006 and decreased on a yearly basis until 2011 (Puzzanchera, 2013). Children and young people with behavioural problems constitute between one third and a half of all referrals to support services in the USA (Kazdin & De Los Reyes, 2009). According to Goodman, Slobodskay, and Knyazev (2005), this ratio is in the range of 15–20% in Russia. The Northwestern Juvenile Project results show that 92.5% of adolescents have experienced trauma at least once, 84% have been exposed to trauma more than once, and lastly 11.2% of the adolescents were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the DSM-IV. It was found that thirty-seven percent of males and 35% of females were diagnosed with addiction to alcohol or drug abuse according to the DSM-IV criteria (Mulvey, Schubert, & Chassin, 2010).Therefore, imprisoned adolescents with psychiatric disorders constitute an important public health matter (Abram et al., 2013).
The International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) (2008) points out that in the United States, one of every 10 children and adolescents below 21 years of age experiences mental disorders. Also 25% and 75% of imprisoned children and adolescents, respectively, have a diagnosable mental disorder. Such mental disorders exist before imprisonment or upon arrival in prison (International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses, 2008). The data above stress the importance of identifying mental needs and applying mental care in prison. To prevent problematic behaviours; we have be able to improve the pro-social behaviours that's why preventive programs aim increasing social skills and decreasing problematic behaviours.
Source: Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, Volume 30, Issue 6, December 2016, Pages 729-735