Abstract
Aims and Objectives:. The present research is part of an ongoing research programme examining the mental health needs which young people secured either under welfare or criminal legislation present and the most effective way of addressing these needs. The research is part of a programme designed to ask if the various groups (those detained under Section 25 and 23 of the Children Act and those detained under Section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933) in secure accommodation are different; if so how do they differ and whether it is possible to predict from their psychological profiles the future risks they pose. Methodology The overall design of the study was to use a single cohort repeated measures with follow up study. Multiple measures using the Achenbach scales were used on all 111 subjects on entry. Repeated measures on exit had to be confined to a smaller sample of the whole sample due to operational difficulties of gathering complete data. The Achenbach scales were used because of their wide use in the literature dealing with adolescents who have mental health difficulties, behaviour difficulties and young offenders. The Achenbach scales provide triangulation of data by obtaining a rating of these difficulties from the young person, the carer and the teacher of the young person. An extensive background history file search of the young people was undertaken for the recording of predictors of criminogenic and mental health difficulties found in the literature. Results: MANOVA revealed that there were significant differences between the perceptions of the young people themselves and those of their carers and teachers. The MANOVA also revealed that there were different trends in the way the young people perceived those convicted, remanded and on welfare orders. Protected t tests confirmed the significant differences perceived by the young people especially on the Internal Total scale and the Internal Anxiety/ Depression scale (p<0.01). Stepwise multiple regression against the Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Youth version showed only small amounts of variance predicted by the Achenbach scales: Aggressive Behaviour, Child Behaviour Checklist (9.6%), Internal Total, Child Behaviour Checklist (7.3%). External Total, Child Behaviour Checklist (7.2%). Anxiety / Depression, Child Behaviour Checklist (5.8%). Aggressive Behaviour, Teacher Report Form (4.8%), Withdrawn, Youth Self Report (4.5%). The background historical data were formed into indices to predict variance on the Achenbach and the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Youth version. The background historical data did not predict any variance on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Youth version. Stepvrise multiple regression showed the Bereavement index to be the only significant predictor on the Internal scale score of the Youth Self Report (8.5%) and the Total scale score of the Youth Self Report (5.5%). Use of paired t tests indicated that the sub-sample of young people who completed inventories on entry and exit did not show significant gains though individual raw scores did show change. Discussion: The results show some prediction of mental health problems from the historical background data and some prediction of risk on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Youth version. The result also indicate that care staff and teaching staff do not understand the anguish of the young people in the way they experience it. The results raised the question as to whether present assessment and treatment of mental health issues among this population can progress without far more accurate historical data and more systematic programmes of treatment. Conclusion. The internal world of the young person in secure is poorly understood by carers and teachers even though there are some significant differences in the perceptions of the young people between themselves on psychological profiles. External professional but particularly social service staff, and care staff and teaching staff within the unit need more training in the assessment of mental health, risk and the recording of factors that help predict both.