Effective Juvenile Justice Providers: STRENGTHS-BASED …

Kevin M. Powell, Ph.D.

Licensed Psychologist/ Clinical Director

Platte Valley Youth Services Center

Colorado Division of Youth Corrections

Greeley, Colorado

[email protected]

(970) 304-6281

Website: www.kevinpowellphd.comK.M. Powell, Ph.D. ©2009

Effective Juvenile Justice Providers:

STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH

What will be covered:

A) Defining a Strengths-Based Approach

B) Necessary Characteristics for Juvenile Justice Providers

C) Strategies for Stabilizing Chronically Disruptive Youth

D) Conclusion

K.M. Powell, Ph.D. ©2014


*Focusing on what is RIGHT with

youth, rather than what is wrong

with them

A “Strengths-Based Approach” (SBA) focuses on the identification, creation, & reinforcement of youths’ individual, family, and community strengths & resources

(Powell, 2010b; 2011; in press)

A) Defining a Strengths-based Approach


SBA consists of an eclectic mix of psychological

theories and interventions which include

components that promote healthy development

and assist youth in learning more about ‘what to

do’ as opposed to ‘what not to do’.

B) Necessary Characteristics for Juvenile Justice

Providers (Direct Care Staff; MH Professionals;Case

Workers; Probation & Parole Officers; Attorneys, etc.)



There is a significant body of research that has

identified the “THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP”

as a powerful variable associated with positive

treatment outcomesKarver, et al., 2006; Norcross, 2011; Norcross & Lambert, 2006, 2011; Powell,

2010a; Shirk & Karver, 2011

The Power of Relationships!

1) Be Relationship-Based SBI #1 & #2


Relationship factors have been found to

be more than twice as potent as the specific

treatment methodsNorcross & Lambert, 2011

The ‘Therapeutic Relationship’ may be even more

important within Child & Adolescent services (vs.

adult services) due to the fact that youth…

*Are not typically self-referred

*More limited insight that they have a problem

*More limited understanding about the therapy

process , as well as other youth services


A Positive Therapeutic Relationship can enhance…

Engagement & Attendance in Youth Services

*In Schools (Teachers)e.g., Barile, et al., 2012; Goodenow, 1993; Jones & Jones,

1998; Muller, et al., 1999; Murphy, 1999;

O’Conner & McCartney, 2007; Rogers &

Renard, 1999; Reyes, et al., 2012.

Research has also found POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS

to be important in settings outside the therapy session…


*In Homes (Parents) e.g., Amato, 1994; Forehand & Nousiainen, 1993;

Hillaker, et al., 2008; Laursen & Birmingham,

2003; Steinberg, 2001


*With Mentorse.g., DuBois, et al., 2011; Turner & Scherman, 1996;

Keating, et al., 2002

*With Police Officerse.g., Flexon, et al., 2009; McCluskey, 2003; Stoutland,

2001; Tyler, 2001


2) Interact with Youth and Families in a Positive,

Hopeful/ Optimistic Manner

My First Job Working With At-Risk Youth

Guard against the Risk of becoming Deficit-

Based


Lessons Learned…

a) When working with at-risk youth, there is a risk of

slipping into a negative, deficit-based focus if

you are not careful

b) Good self-awareness/ self-reflection is critical for

preventing a negative, deficit-based focus


c) It is critical that we do everything we can to create

an environment for youth that is Prosocial, Safe,

Strengths-based, and Provides many success

experiences

Understandably, many at-risk youth enter the youth

services system feeling mistrustful, anxious, angry, and

sometimes even defiant…

We as providers have a responsibility to NOT react

negatively towards youth’s mistrust/ defiance.


3) Be cognizant of the power of our Non-verbal

and Para-verbal behaviors

Non-Verbal

(e.g., eyebrows, crossing arms/ legs, head

nods, other attending skills)

“ACTIONS OFTEN SPEAK LOUDER

THAN WORDS”

Para-Verbal

(e.g., tone, pitch, pace of our voice)

(Bedi, 2006)

Our Non-Verbal Behaviors impact us and others…


“Facial Feedback” A process in which our facial expressions influence us to

experience the actual emotion

(Duclos, et al., 1989; McIntosh,

1996; Soussignan, 2002; Strack, et

al., 1988)


A process in which we influence the emotions &

behaviors of each other by unconsciously & consciously

imitating each others facial expressions, body language,

& speech patterns/ vocal tones.

“Emotional Contagion”

Dimberg, et al., 2002; Fowler & Christakis,

2008; Hatfield, et al., 1994

Age: 4 months…


4) Don’t take it personally when youth are defiant

and/or mistrustful (Don’t hold grudges)Remind yourself that their disruptive behaviors &

mistrust is often related to their past negative

experiences, developmental limitations, and/or

biologically-based disorders.

*We don’t have to like all of their behaviors but we do

have to like them as people.

BE SPOCK-LIKE

(more cerebral, less emotional)


a BAD HAIR DAY may be a trigger for you…

…But you have a responsibility to NOT become

emotionally reactive when a youth ridicules your

hairdo. We must keep our emotions in-check.

5) Be aware of personal triggers and keep them

in-check

6) Utilize Active Listening and take time to

Attend to a Youth’s Experiences, Life Story, and

Emotions

Creed & Kendall, 2005; Karver, et al., 2006;

Russell, et al., 2008; Shirk & Karver, 2011


*Show interest in youthAsk about their Interests/ Hobbies/ Talents/

Where they live

*Be present in the Here & Now

Mimic the family/ youth’s Interpersonal Style and

Affective Range in order to join with them.

If there is too much of a discrepancy between the

provider’s and the family/ youth’s interpersonal

style and/or affective range…

Typically, the family/ youth will NOT actively

engage in youth services. K.M. Powell, Ph.D. ©2004

7) Utilize Mimesis (Imitation) to JOIN with Families/

Youth (Minuchin, 1974)

Positive, Optimistic

Youth Service

Providers(Throw the ball softly)

More Positive, Open,

Compliant Clients

(The ball comes back softly)

Negative, Pessimistic,

Hardened,

Confrontational Youth

Service Providers

(Throw the ball hard)

Negative, Defensive,

Oppositional Clients

(The ball comes back hard)


8) Be Cognizant of the Reciprocal Nature of

Relationships (SBI #24)

Even when setting limits regarding a youth’s

disruptive behaviors, we must maintain a respectful,

positive attitude (throw the ball softly)


Be cognizant that many clients have had the

ball thrown hard at them in life- Adverse

Childhood Experiences (ACEs)…

We must throw the ball softly even when they are

throwing the ball at us hard.


Allowing time for:

*Sleep

*Physical Exercise (walk, jog, swim, lift weights,

yoga, aerobics, etc.)

*Healthy Eating & Drinking

*Family time

*Social/ Friend time

*Alone time

*Work time

*Spiritual time

*Vacation time

*Hobbies & Pursuing your passions, life goals, etc.

*Mental Health needs

9) Take Care of Yourself/ Maintain a Healthy

Balance in Life (SBI #39)


Poor Self Care

Good SELF CARE

Effective Staff who are

emotionally available to

youth and are at lower

risk of “Burning Out”

Ineffective Staff who are

impatient, irritable, and

pessimistic and at high

risk of “Burned Out”

*Make you feel most RELAXED & STRESS-

FREE


*Make you feel most HAPPY (when you laugh,

have fun, feel energized, satisfied)

*Are HEALTHY for you (healthy ‘physically’,

‘emotionally’, ‘socially’, ‘intellectually’, ‘spirituality’ , etc.)

It is Important to be Cognizant of the Activities

You Do That…

You can get a pdf copy of “Thinking about Self-Care”

handout at www.kevinpowellphd.com (under the

Handouts tab)

1) Meet Youth’s Basic Human Needs- Physiological,

Safety, Social, & Competency Needs (SBI #21)

C) Strategies for Stabilizing Chronically

Disruptive Youth

Hierarchy of Needs Theory(Maslow, 1970)

Physiological Needs

Safety Needs

Belongingness & Love Needs(Social Needs)

Esteem/Achievement Needs(Competency Needs)

Need to live up to one’s fullest potential

Maslow believed that humans are motivated to fulfill

their unmet needs beginning with the most basic needs



Meeting “Basic Human Needs” enhances…

Motivation Prosocial DevelopmentAnd

Physiological Needs

Safety Needs

Belongingness & Love Needs(Social Needs)

Esteem/Achievement Needs(Competency Needs)

Need to live up to one’s fullest potential


Treatment/Therapy often targets youths’ Esteem/ Achievement

Needs. That is, assists youth in meeting their need to gain

competence in their life.

HOWEVER, if youths’ most “basic needs” are not first met,

youth will NOT be motivated at this higher level.

}Our most

Basic Human

Needs

}Need to feel competent

Meeting BASIC NEEDS = MOTIVATION

Meeting BASIC NEEDS =

Which can significantly diminished their capacity

to focus on others needs

Meeting Basic Human Needs increases

youth’s capacity for Prosocial Behaviors

PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS

When a persons Basic Needs are NOT met…

They are more likely to be in “survival mode”

(survival of the fittest)…



When youths’ Basic Needs are NOT being met they

often acquire…

a “Non-Caring Attitude & Feelings of Hopelessness”

which results in…

Internalizing behaviors (e.g., depression; anxiety; somatic

complaints; suicidal thoughts)

and/or

Externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression; defiance towards

authority; suicidal & self harm behaviors)


*Important Questions to regularly ask yourself

when working with at-risk youth…

*What is motivating this youth?

*What needs are unmet?

*How can I help meet these unmet needs?

2) High Frequency of Meetings with Youth is often very

important


*Rather than meet with youth (who have many unmet

needs) only one time a week for 1 hour…. meeting

with them for 15-20 minutes (3-4 times a week) is

often more effective.

*Having unit staff check-in with youth for a couple

minutes at the beginning, middle, and end of their

shift can also be very effective.

3) Regularly check-in with youth when they are

stable/positive/prosocial

If providers & caregivers only attend to youth when

they are out-of-control & in crisis, you may

unintentionally be reinforcing this instability.


* Be careful not to promote the “Squeaky Wheel”

phenomenon!


e.g., A youth who repeatedly acts out with AGGRESSION or

SELF HARM, which requires multiple staff to intervene & focus

on them…

…WHILE the youth receives much less one-

on-one attention when they are stable.

Unstable youth

Stable youth

**Programs can unintentionally reinforce the youth’s

disruptive behaviors, if not careful

“General” Disruptive Behavior Example:

▪ Change is a process, not a one-time event

▪ No one is perfect and youth will relapse at times.

▪ We all fail at times…the key is how we handle our failures.


▪ Do NOT give-up or youth will give up too.

4) Remain Optimistic and Supportive when/if Youth Lapse or Relapse SBI #4

Remind yourself that…


▪ Utilize lapses/relapses as “Teachable Moments”

*Help youth to learn from it (make a plan)

▪ Don’t take relapses personally…unless you screwed

up Screw-ups are great opportunities to learn!

*When/if you have a conflict with a youth,

go back later and work through it with

them.


CASE EXAMPLE: “Becky” (age 15)- Stabilizing a

Chronically Disruptive

youth…Being sensitive to Trauma

& Hypervigilance to Abandonment

Becky’s Background:

*Past Victimization & Abandonment

issues

*Abandoned by parents, lived in multiple out-

of-home placements since the age of 6


*Becky would often report being in CRISIS in

order to get staff support.

*Becky would constantly ask to meet with counselors

and she would get verbally hostile when counselors

met with other kids instead of her.

Presenting Problem:

*Chronic conflicts with peers & staff


*Scheduled set days that we would FOR SURE meet.

I did this to reduce Becky’s anxiety/fear of rejection &

abandonment.

It is critical that Providers be dependable and

follow-through with these meetings

Note: In many youth service settings it is best not

to set up specific times to meet, only specific days,

due to the sometimes unpredictability of the

work day

Interventions:


* Gave Becky interpersonal feedback explaining that I

always enjoy meeting with her; however, when she gets

angry & rude each time we pass each other on the unit or in

the hallway, it really bums me out.

* Educated Becky about Emotional Contagion/ the

Reciprocal Nature of Relationships


* Role-Played greeting each other in a positive way-

Raising her eyebrows, smiling, and making a positive

greeting.

*Set up a plan for Becky to practice (in vivo) her

“positive greeting” every time she saw me.

“Hi Kevin, how are you?”“What the hell, Kevin!!


*When Becky would ask to meet with me immediately

due to a “crisis”, I would give her a choice…

CHOICE #1: Meet right now but for a brief

amount of time, on the unit (in order to

decrease reinforcement for Becky’s attempts to elicit

support through crisis).

OR

CHOICE #2: Wait until our scheduled meeting

time when we can meet for a longer

amount of time, in my office, eating animal

crackers (in order to increase reinforcement for

Becky’s stability).

NOTE: If Becky’s “crisis” involved suicidal

or homicidal statements, then I made

the choice for her…Choice #1



Results/Outcome:

Becky’s interactions towards me became much more

positive.

She stopped using a “Crisis” as a method of eliciting

support

Her positive interactions generalized to her peer

relationships, which resulted in making friends on the

unit

Kevin’s Core Principles for Effective Youth Services

• Strengths-based

• Relationship-based

• Solution-focused

• Ecologically-based

• Holistic & Individualized

• Evidence-based Principles


D) Conclusion

Comments, Questions?

Contact Info:

Website- www.kevinpowellphd.com

E-mail- [email protected]

[email protected]

Phone- (970) 304-6281 (w)

(970) 214-6413 (c)

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