Long Term Follow-up Study of a Ward-based Behaviour Modification Programme for Adolescents with Acting-out and Conduct Problems

Although it is widely believed that behaviour modification is successful in an institutional setting, the lasting efficacy of such programmes for adolescents with acting-out and conduct problems has long been questioned. A follow-up enquiry was carried out at one and two years on adolescent patients who had been through an institutional behaviour modification programme. The results were compared with those obtained for a similar group of patients who were accepted for the programme but not admitted; significantly more of the treatment group than the comparison group had improved in terms of behavioural outcome measures, and their level of independent living was greater.