Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of behavioural family therapy with the juvenile delinquents and also role of age in this regard. The assessed variables consisted of relationships with siblings, peers, and parents as well as re-arrestment. A mixed sampling method, proportional allocation, and paired matched sampling were applied. A sample, with an equation of n=124, was taken from Ahvaz Correction Centre which assigned to the experimental and control groups (62 subjects in each group). There were three subgroups of thieving (24), physical aggression (20) and sexual crimes (18) in each of the groups. Instruments included a socio- economic status questionnaire, child’s assessment by parent, and judiciary recorded data. The collected data were analyzed by applying repeated measures ANOVA, paired sample t-test and Pearson’s correlation statistics. Accordingly, significant differences between the experimental and control groups in all variables were observed. However, all the subgroups, except in case of re-arrestment, were affected by the therapeutic intervention regardless of the criminal subgroup.

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