A Study of Long-term Outcomes of Adolescents Discharged from a Local Residential Treatment Center: Factors Responsible for Treatment Gain Maintenance

Long-term outcomes of adolescents discharged from residential treatment centers reveal mixed results. Whereas some studies show that adolescents are able to demonstrate long-term success, other studies highlight the difficulty that adolescents have in maintaining their treatment gains. Although previous research has emphasized broad factors that increase the likelihood of long-term success (e.g. importance of the postdischarge, family involvement in treatment), significant ambiguity remains regarding the specific risk and protective factors that are responsible for long-term adolescent adjustment after RTC discharge. Thus, this study investigated specific risk and protective factors related to adolescent success derived from both RTC literature and research related to antisocial and delinquent youth. In particular, it was hypothesized that adolescents who were successful upon 6 month and 6 to 12 month follow-up intervals would be more likely to have accessed mental health services, used community resources, used prescribed medications, avoided substance use, associated with positive peers and avoided negative peer influence than adolescents who recidivated. Fisher’s exact test revealed that adolescents who were successful at both follow-up intervals were significantly more likely to associate with positive peers, avoid negative peers, avoid substance use, and use at least one community resource. Suggestions for how to improve adolescent long-term outcomes following RTC discharge given more knowledge regarding specific risk and protective factors are discussed. Degree Type Dissertation Rights Terms of use for work posted in CommonKnowledge. This dissertation is available at CommonKnowledge: http://commons.pacificu.edu/spp/78 Copyright and terms of use If you have downloaded this document directly from the web or from CommonKnowledge, see the “Rights” section on the previous page for the terms of use. If you have received this document through an interlibrary loan/document delivery service, the following terms of use apply: Copyright in this work is held by the author(s). You may download or print any portion of this document for personal use only, or for any use that is allowed by fair use (Title 17, §107 U.S.C.). Except for personal or fair use, you or your borrowing library may not reproduce, remix, republish, post, transmit, or distribute this document, or any portion thereof, without the permission of the copyright owner. [Note: If this document is licensed under a Creative Commons license (see “Rights” on the previous page) which allows broader usage rights, your use is governed by the terms of that license. ] Inquiries regarding further use of these materials should be addressed to: CommonKnowledge Rights, Pacific University Library, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116, (503) 352-7209. Email inquiries may be directed to:. copyright@pacificu.edu This dissertation is available at CommonKnowledge: http://commons.pacificu.edu/spp/78 A STUDY OF LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF ADOLESCENTS DISCHARGED FROM A LOCAL RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER: FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR TREATMENT GAIN MAINTENANCE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY PACIFIC UNIVERSITY HILLSBORO, OREGON BY MATHEW BENJAMIN HIRSCH, M.S. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY JULY 24, 2009 APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE: Alyson Williams, Ph.D. Jay C. Thomas, Ph.D., ABPP PROFESSOR AND DEAN: Michel Hersen, Ph.D., ABPP