Preliminary Findings of KINNECT: A Psychosocial Intervention for Youth in Residential Treatment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Early intervention programs for youth in residential treatment can have a positive impact on numerous outcomes, including health, educational performance, and reduced prevalence of high-risk behaviors. Yet, there is currently a limited number of evidenced-based interventions that treat youth in these settings. This paper presents preliminary findings of a new psychosocial treatment for adolescents in residential treatment that can be implemented by front-line youth professionals. A 20-session multimodal group social skill building intervention, called KINNECT, was developed to address numerous health-risk behaviors through movement-based psychosocial skill building. A quasi-experimental post-test only design using non-equivalent groups was used on 63 participants from two residential treatment facilities in the Midwest. The findings of this study found a reduced likelihood of non-emergency medical visits and self-harming behavior in those who participated in the KINNECT intervention. The authors provide a discussion of these findings along with recommendations for future research.