Skill Groups with High Risk Youth: Engaging the Unengaged Utilizing Motivational Interviewing Technique Jamie Glick, LCSW Ridge View Youth Services

Skill Streaming Skill streaming training steps Skill streaming training steps are: 1.Define the skill. 2.Model the skill. 3.Establish trainee skill need. 4.Select a role-player. 5.Set up the role-play. 6.Conduct the role-play. 7.Provide performance feedback. 8.Assign skill homework. 9.Select the next role player. (Goldstein, 1999)

Define the Skill Involves trainer-led discussion of the skill to be taught during the group With low risk youth, this should be a quick discussion to ensure the group understands the purpose of the skill and the skill steps. With high risk youth, this step may become more involved due to anti-social thoughts and beliefs that many high risk youth possess.

Top 2 Criminogenic Factors 1) Anti-social and pro-criminal thoughts, values, and beliefs. 2) Anti-social associates and isolations from pro- social (Andrews & Bonta, 1998)

Anti-Social Presentation in Skill Groups In skill groups, often these anti-social belief systems present themselves during Step 1: Define the Skill. Youth may often make comments during the Define the Skill section which indicate that they do not believe in the benefit of the skill. If they don’t believe in the skill, teaching them the skill is a waste of time. If this is the case, a longer discussion needs to take place about the skill.

Stages of change model

Pre-Contemplation/Contemplation Preparation I don’t need to/want to change Not sure how to

Motivational Interviewing Skills Asking open-ended questions Reflective listening Empathetic responses Coming along side Developing discrepancies (key to bring clients from contemplation to preparation) (Miller & Rollnick, 2002)

What Not to Do Lecture/Preach Be confrontational Ignore the anti-social thinking Do all the talking The harder you push, the harder they will resist. Even if they know you are right.

Are you buying what I am selling?

Questions that may be asked Why is this skill important? What happens if you don’t use this skill correctly? What would be the consequences for not using the skill? What are some benefits from using the skill? What are some benefits of not using the skill? How does not using the skill help you to accomplish your goals?

Case Example: Skill 30: Keeping Out of Fights Steps: 1) Stop and think about why you want to fight. 2) Decide what you want to happen in the long run. 3) Think about other ways to handle the situation besides fighting. 4) Decide on the best way to handle the situation and do it.

References: Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. (2003). The psychology of criminal conduct (3rd ed.). Cincinnati,OH: Anderson Goldstein, A. P. (1999). The prepare curriculum: Teaching prosocial competencies (rev. ed). Champaign, IL: Research Press. Miller, William R. & Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for change (2 nd ed). York, NY: Guilford Press..