Objective: This study describes the development of an engagement scale for use with youth in residential treatment centers. Engagement includes attitude about treatment, bond with providers, and participation in treatment activities. Method: Interview data were collected at the midpoint in residence of 130 youth in two centers. Items were selected to capture practitioners' description of three related concepts in a logic model. The authors conducted confirmatory factor analysis and examined interitem reliability. Results: Results indicate a single underlying factor, which the authors label engagement, an acceptable level of reliability, and strong content validity. Conclusion: The scale integrates several concepts in the treatment process literature and might serve to assess youth engagement in residential settings. Additional study should examine construct and construct validity.

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In this study, the researchers examined the relationship between residential treatment staff members' use of cognitive and behavioral disputations and problem-solving skills just prior to discharge for 59 youths with emotional and behavioral disorders. The researchers also assessed the direct and indirect effects of engagement in treatment on problem-solving. Measures completed by youths, childcare staff, and clinicians were used in order to comprehensively understand these relationships. The relationship between cognitive and behavioral disputations, as measured by both youth and staff, and problemsolving skills was not significant. Youth and staff reports of engagement in treatment related directly to youth report, but not staff report, of cognitive and behavioral disputations. Youth report of engagement was the only predictor of problem-solving just prior to discharge. Implications for engaging youth in treatment are discussed.