Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2018
Keywords
substance abuse, internalizing disorder, mental health
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.4172/2472-5048.100041
Abstract
Title: The moderating relationship of comorbid psychopathology and treatment outcome for young adult offenders in drug court.
Background: The drug court system is an alternative to incarceration that provides offenders with non-violent, substance motivated crimes with an opportunity to dismiss their charges and undergo a rigorous substance abuse treatment program. It is unknown whether drug court is effective for young adult clients and the role of co-occurring psychopathology within this context.
Methods: This study evaluated the overall effectiveness of a drug court system applied to young adult offenders ages 18-26, and additionally explored the moderating relationship of psychiatric symptoms on treatment outcome. Seventy-four clients were assessed at baseline and at 6-month follow-up.
Findings: Participants reported reductions in substance use (M=35.51, SD=29.92; M=7.79, SD=17.83; t(71)=7.00, p < 0.001) and mental health symptoms (M=48.26, SD=36.49; M=36.40, SD=37.99; t(71)=2.05, p < 0.05) at follow-up. Additionally, moderators of outcome were found based on internalizing and externalizing mental health symptoms.
Conclusions: Drug court may be an effective alternative to incarceration for young adults and may benefit higher severity clients in particular.
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Dual Diagnosis: Open Access, v. 3, no. 2, art. 7
Scholar Commons Citation
McGonigal, Patrick; Moore, Kathleen A.; and Young, Matthew Scott, "The Moderating Relationship of Comorbid Psychopathology and Treatment Outcome for Young Adult Offenders in Drug Court" (2018). Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications. 826.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/mhlp_facpub/826
