The Effects of Aggression Replacement Training on Male and Female Antisocial Behavior in a Runaway Shelter

Abstract

Objective: A field study was conducted to test the effect of Aggression Replacement Training on male and female antisocial behavior in a runaway shelter. Method: An interrupted time series design was used in this study. The case records of 522 adolescents who stayed in a runaway shelter over a 519-day period were reviewed and measures of antisocial behavior obtained. Results: The results suggested that the implementation of the Aggression Replacement Training was associated with a decrease in male and female antisocial behavior in the shelter and that the effect on male antisocial behavior depended on the number of males in the shelter. Conclusion: The results suggested that the Aggression Replacement Training may be a useful component of a multicomponent approach to reducing juvenile antisocial behavior in a short-term residential setting.