Group climate and treatment motivation in secure residential and forensic youth care from the perspective of self determination theory

Abstract

Treatment motivation in secure residential youth care is assumed to be a necessary condition for effective treatment, and is therefore a key element in the reduction of problem behavior and criminal recidivism. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT) three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) are essential for treatment motivation, which are characteristics of a positive residential group climate. Based on SDT, we examined whether a therapeutic (open) group climate and low levels of institutional repression were associated with treatment motivation of adolescents residing in (semi-) secure residential youth care facilities. An ethnically diverse sample was studied of 179 respondents (M = 16.2 years; SD = 1.5), in 12 Dutch (semi)secure youth care facilities and 9 forensic youth care institutions. We measured residential group climate with the PGCI and treatment motivation with the ATMQ, and fitted a Cross-Lagged Panel Model (CLPM) of residential group climate and treatment motivation. It was found that a positive group climate in the first month after placement predicted greater treatment motivation three months later.