SOCIAL-LEARNING PROGRAMS FACILITATE AN INCREASE IN ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR IN A FORENSIC MENTAL HOSPITAL

• Published in: Behavioral interventions 2011-07, Vol.26 (3), p.214-230
• Main Authors: Newbill, William A., Paul, Gordon L., Menditto, Anthony A., Springer, Justin R., Mehta, Paras
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Forensic science; Hospitalization; Hospitals; Intervention; Learning; Mental disorders; Observational learning; Studies
• ISSN: 1072-0847; 1099-078X; 1099-078X
• DOI: 10.1002/bin.330

Deficits in adaptive behavior are a major reason why individuals remain hospitalized or return to inpatient settings. During recovery from a serious mental illness, development of adaptive behavior is as important as reduction of ‘symptoms’. Social learning programs (SLPs) have been identified as a best practice in inpatient settings. This study examined whether SLPs facilitated significant growth in adaptive behavior from baseline through one, two, three, and four years of intervention. Direct observational coding of adaptive behavior was conducted before and during intervention and subjected to pre‐post analysis. In addition, individual change modeling was used to characterize the rate and extent of change. Finally, initial response to intervention was examined for utility in predicting total response at distal time points. The SLPs facilitated significant improvements in total adaptive behavior from baseline to each of the distal time points (with effect sizes from 1.18 to 1.53). Change during the first five weeks failed to consistently predict total change, likely because of adaptive intervention procedures. SLPs facilitated significant improvements in the kind of adaptive behavior that helps people get out and stay out of inpatient settings. If replicated, estimated rates of change established in this study could be used as benchmarks for future implementations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.