| dc.description.abstract | Research on the EQUIP program shows that this cognitive behavioral program designed to reduce antisocial behavior in adolescents is more effective in the United States than in the Netherlands (Leeman, Gibbs & Fuller, 1993; Nas, 2005). Based on Landenberger and Lipsey’s meta analysis on the effects of intervention programs for juvenile delinquents (2005) and the integrity principle of the What Works approach, it is proposed that a difference in
program -integrity may explain the difference in effectiveness.
In this pilot study the integrity of the implementation of social skills EQUIP meetings was investigated at juvenile correctional facilities in the Netherlands. An observation instrument and multiple questionnaires were constructed to measure program integrity. A total of eight selectively chosen EQUIP meetings have been observed at two facilities, namely ‘Forensisch Centrum Teylingereind’ (N=7) and ‘De Sprengen’ (N=1).
The EQUIP handbook (Teylingereind, 2006) used by all the EQUIP trainers in the Netherlands contains on average per meeting only 70.1% of the original implementation
guidelines of Gibbs, Potter and Goldstein (1995). It appeared that on average 24.55% of the implementation guidelines of Gibbs et al. (1995) were present per observed meeting with an average observer appraisal of 1.77 on a 3-point Likert scale. Trainers gave an average appraisal of 2.19 per meeting on the same scale. Beside these limitations in content and quality of the implementation of EQUIP in the Netherlands, questionnaire responses also showed shortcomings in other aspects of program integrity, such as purpose, target group, structure, intensity and conditions of the given intervention.
Methodological limitations of this study are the small and select sample, a low reliability of observers appraisal and the possibility of a positive selection of correctional
facilities and EQUIP meetings. Future research on EQUIP should take these limitations into account and should investigate the effect of program-integrity on the rehabilitation of the youngsters who participate in EQUIP. | |
