Impact of Brief Intervention Services on Drug-Using, Truant Youth Arrest Charges Over Time

Abstract

School truancy is a serious concern in the U.S., with far-reaching negative consequences. Truancy has been positively associated with substance use and delinquent behavior; however, research is limited. Consequently, the Truancy Brief Intervention Project was established to treat and prevent substance use and other risky behaviors among truants. This article examines whether the Brief Intervention program is more effective in preventing future delinquency over a 12-month follow-up period, than the standard truancy program. Results indicate the Brief Intervention was marginally significant in effecting future delinquency among truants, compared to the standard truancy program. Future implications of this study are discussed.

A Longitudinal Study of Truant Youths' Involvement in Sexual Risk Behavior

“…The limited number of available studies involving selected samples of truant youths indicate they often experience serious interrelated problems in regard to a stressed family life (Baker et al, 2001; Kearney & Silverman, 1995), alcohol and other drug use (Baker et al, 2001; Dembo & Turner, 1994; Diebolt & Herlache, 1991; Pritchard, Cotton & Cox, 1992; Maynard et al, 2012), emotional and psychological functioning (Diebolt & Herlache, 1991; Dembo et al, 2012a; Dembo et al, 2012b, Egger, Costello, & Angold, 2003; Kearney & Silverman, 1995), delinquent behavior (Dembo et al, 2013; Maynard et al, 2012), and poor educational functioning (e.g., low grades, grade retention or placement in remedial or special programs) (Dembo & Turner, 1994; Garry, 1996; Ingersoll & LeBoeuf, 1997). Research also suggests that truant youth are at considerable risk of continuing their troubled behavior in school and entering the juvenile justice system (Dembo et al, in press b; Garry, 1996; Ingersoll & LeBoeuf, 1997; Loeber & Farrington, 2000; Puzzanchera, Stahl, Finnegan, Tierney, & Snyder, 2003; also see: Henry, Thornberry, & Huizinga, 2009). Given these problem behaviors found among truant youth, it is not surprising they are engaging in sexual risk behavior at a higher rate than the general youth population (Eaton, Brener, & Kann, 2008).…”

Predicting Arrest in a Sample of Youth Perinatally Exposed to HIV: The Intersection of HIV and Key Contextual Factors

“…Across study waves, past year rates of arrest ranged between 2.6%−19.7%, substantially higher than national rates (0.7–6.1%) (43) but similar to other studies of past-year arrest of same-aged high risk/delinquent youth (44). Overall, rates of arrest peak across study time points for both groups, with rates peaking during the late teens and then decreasing in the early twenties, a pattern found in the FBI crime report (45) and in prior studies of youth (6). There were no differences in arrest over time by HIV status, even after adjusting for other key contextual and social regulation variables, suggesting that despite all the risks conferred by HIV infection described previously, these vulnerabilities do not promote risk of arrest.…”

Predictors of cannabis use among first-time justice-involved youth: A cohort study

“… Spirito and colleagues (2018) tested the preliminary efficacy of a combined family-based (Family Check-Up; FCU) and individual adolescent based brief motivational enhancement therapy (MET) intervention (one 90-minute session and one 30-minute booster); the latter targeting adolescent substance use related attitudes, beliefs and norms and demonstrating feasibility, acceptability and reductions in youth cannabis use at 3 month follow-up ( Spirito et al, 2018 ). Dembo and colleagues ( Dembo et al, 2014 ) tested the efficacy of a brief intervention (BI) with youth and parents (three 75-minute sessions; two with youth, one with parent) compared to youth-only BI and Standard Truancy Services in reducing cannabis use and sexual risk behavior over 12 months. No significant intervention effects were found; however, the authors note certain subgroups showed differential response to the intervention (e.g., those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms).…”