Juvenile justice girls’ depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation 9 years after multidimensional treatment foster care.
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) has been found to reduce delinquency among girls in juvenile justice through 2-year follow-up. Given that such girls are at elevated risk for suicide and depression into adulthood, we tested MTFC effects on long-term trajectories of suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. METHOD: Girls (N = 166; mean [SD] age = 15.3 [1.2] years; 68% White) with a recent criminal referral who were mandated to out-of-home care were enrolled in 2 sequential cohorts. Girls were randomized to receive MTFC (n = 81) or group care (GC) treatment as usual (TAU; n = 85); the second MTFC cohort also received modules targeting substance use and risky sexual behavior. Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were assessed repeatedly through early adulthood (mean [SD] follow-up = 8.8 [2.9] years). Suicide attempt history was assessed in early adulthood. RESULTS: Girls assigned to MTFC showed significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms across the long-term follow-up than GC girls (π = -.86, p < .05). Decreases in suicidal ideation rates were slightly stronger in MTFC than in GC as indicated by a marginal main effect (odds ratio [OR] = .92, p < .10) and a significant interaction that favored MTFC in the second cohort relative to the first (OR = .88, p < .01). There were no significant MTFC effects on suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: MTFC decreased depressive symptoms and suicidal thinking beyond the decreases attributable to time and TAU. Thus, MTFC has further impact on girls' lives than originally anticipated.
DOI: 10.1037/a0036521
Institutions: Oregon Social Learning Center, University of Oregon
Language: English
Topic: Child Welfare and Adoption
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1432057362, G1570052282, Preventing Health-Risking Behaviors in Delinquent Girls, Juvenile Justice Girls: Pathways to Adjustment and System Use in Young Adulthood, Preventing Problems for Girls in Foster Care, G4201560212, Center for Drug Abuse Prevention in the Child Welfare System, G6223828460, Longterm Treatment Effects on Juvenile Justice Girls' Depression and Suicide Risk
OpenAlex ID: W2082788847