Therapeutic use of media with female adolescent offenders: A group treatment manual.

摘要

A literature review highlighted the lack of treatment options available for female adolescents in trouble with the law, and identified the topics of sexism, racism, abuse/trauma, depression, and substance abuse as salient for this population. Based on this review, a gender-specific group therapy manual was developed for use specifically with female adolescent status offenders in custody at detention facilities. The manual uses commercially available films in DVD format to address the above topics. The decision to use media films was based on the significant and influential role they play in most adolescents' lives. Using carefully selected titles in a therapeutic manner can empower these adolescents by guiding them to critically examine the effects of these issues through their impact on the film characters.; Four of the topics are addressed each week in twice-weekly sessions, with the topic of sexism addressed throughout. Films were selected for their therapeutic relevance to each topic. The manual was designed to be user-friendly and to facilitate the process of group treatment for both leaders and adolescents. It begins with an introduction addressing the importance for gender-speck treatment for female offenders, and provides background information on each of the five focal topics. An introductory session, three four-week modules, and a termination session follow. The manual was designed so that treatment can be tailored to the length of each program, and can be delivered in 6, 10, or 14-week segments depending on the modules used.; Each film is shown in its entirety in the first of the twice-weekly sessions. In the second session the group discusses specific scenes relevant to the above topics. Segments were chosen and discussion questions were developed to facilitate the therapeutic process. Each group has control of the process because the girls are able to identify the scenes from each film that they found most salient. Questionnaires for both leaders and the adolescents are included at the end of the manual for evaluation purposes. These can also be used for future modifications of the manual in order to make it more effective in providing gender-specific treatment for female adolescent status offenders.