Psychological inflexibility, low empathy, and anger management problems in adolescents involved in crime. Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Conditions
Interventions
The intervention was an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group program designed to enhance psychological flexibility, empathy, and anger regulation in adolescents involved in crime. The p
Sponsors
Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Aged between 15 and 17 years. 2. Having previously been involved in a forensic investigation (e.g., having testified in law enforcement or prosecutor’s office, being criminally prosecuted or convicted). 3. Not diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder. 4. No speech, hearing, or intellectual impairment that would interfere with communication or participation. 5. Not having received any Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based intervention previously or currently. 6. Having participated in all six intervention sessions.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Being outside the 15–17 age range. 2. Having no history of involvement in a criminal investigation (e.g., no police or prosecutor testimony, prosecution, or conviction). 3. Having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder or currently receiving psychiatric treatment. 4. Having cognitive, speech, hearing, or intellectual impairments that would prevent participation in the sessions or completion of data collection tools. 5. Having previously received any Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based intervention. 6. Insufficient Turkish literacy to complete questionnaires or understand intervention content. 7. Failure to provide written informed consent from the participant and/or legal guardian. 8. Inability to attend all six sessions or scheduled assessments (e.g., due to relocation, detention, or chronic absenteeism).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility was measured using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Turkish version adapted by Yavuz et al. (2016), at four time points: pretest (Week 1, immediately before the first session’s therapeutic content), posttest (Week 6, immediately after the last session’s therapeutic content), 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Empathy was measured using the Child and Adolescent KA-SI Empathic Tendency Scale – Adolescent Form (Kaya & Siyez, 2010) at four time points: pretest (Week 1, immediately before the first session’s therapeutic content), posttest (Week 6, immediately after the last session’s therapeutic content), 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up. 2. Anger and anger expression were measured using the Trait Anger – Anger Expression Inventory (TA-AEI), Turkish version adapted by Özer (1994) from Spielberger’s State–Trait Anger Scale, at four time points: pretest (Week 1, immediately before the first session’s therapeutic content), posttest (Week 6, immediately after the last session’s therapeutic content), 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up. | — |
Countries
Türkiye
Contacts
Public ContactMehtap Genç
Outcome results
None listed