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Peer-Nominated Deviant Talk Within Residential Treatment: Individual and Group Influences on Treatment Response

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Abstract

This research examined deviant talk during summer residential treatment using peer nominations and extensive field observations. Participants were 239 youth (M age = 12.62, SD = 2.60; 67% male), nested in 26 treatment groups. Deviant talk was present in this setting, showed individual differences, and increased over time, especially for younger boys. As expected, its relationship to treatment response was moderated by peer behavior. Initial levels of individual deviant talk were related to clinical improvement, but primarily when peer deviant talk was low. Initial levels of peer deviant talk were related to higher than expected end of treatment aggression, especially for youth who were high in deviant talk. Deviant talk effects were observed for staff impressions of change and observations of aggression and adjustment. Initial antisocial behavior affected whether individual or peer levels of deviant talk more heavily influenced treatment response. Implications for clinical assessment and treatment monitoring are discussed.

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Notes

  1. Fourteen (5.4%) participants attended both summers: five in completely new groups, six with one repeat peer, and three with two. Because overlap was minimal, repeat attenders were included. The oldest group of boys each summer was not included, as autistic symptoms and neurological issues were common referral problems. When included, effects were similar to those reported. Of the 257 eligible participants, 18 had missing data and were excluded.

  2. Treatment groups varied in mean DT, ranging from 0.11 to 0.42 (M = 0.26, SD = 0.08). Using a median split on mean DT, youth in high vs. low groups were older, t(237) = 5.95, more likely to be female, χ 2(1) = 19.38, and engaged in more individual DT, t(237) = 3.90, all p’s < 0.001. Mean DT was not related to group size or to mean T1 externalizing behaviors on any assessment. There were marginally more youth meeting clinical threshold for rule-breaking in groups with high mean DT, χ 2 (1) = 3.34, p = 0.07, with high groups ranging from 1 to 8 out of 9 members (11%–88%), and low groups ranging from 1 to 6 out of 9 members (11%–67%).

  3. We ran all analyses including age interactions with individual and group DT, but none was significant, so these terms were excluded. We did the same with gender, and found one interaction with group DT for PBOS adjustment: Girls in lower DT groups showed the highest T3.1 PBOS adjustment, and adjustment gains were diminished in high DT groups. Boys’ adjustment was not affected by group DT. Because this effect was only seen for PBOS adjustment, and the individual × group DT effect remained, we did not include gender interaction terms in the final models.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by award number R15MH076787 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Institutes of Health. We are deeply grateful to the children, parents, staff, and administrators of Wediko Children’s Services, whose cooperation made it possible to collect the data reported here. We are especially grateful to Harry W. Parad, director of Wediko Children’s Services, for his long-standing commitment to this research program. We would also like to thank Sophia Choukas-Bradley, Lindsey Hopkins DeBoer, Lindsay Metcalfe, Kristen Renshaw, Tod Rossi, Larry Tucker, and all of the research assistants whose dedication to the project made this work possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Connecticut College, New London, CT, USA

    Audrey L. Zakriski

  2. Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Jack C. Wright

  3. University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Stephanie L. Cardoos

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  1. Audrey L. Zakriski
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Correspondence to Audrey L. Zakriski.

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Zakriski, A.L., Wright, J.C. & Cardoos, S.L. Peer-Nominated Deviant Talk Within Residential Treatment: Individual and Group Influences on Treatment Response. J Abnorm Child Psychol 39, 989–1000 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-011-9519-1

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