Individuals who are incarcerated often participate in various programs to prepare them for reentry into their communities after release. These reentry programs include cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) programs such as Thinking for a Change (T4C), are at lesser risk of future criminal behavior. According to CBT theory, treatment works by changing criminal thinking; however, research has not supported this model. Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) is a new intervention for the correctional setting with promising effects on recidivism. ACTV does not aim to change the content of criminal thinking; instead, the theory of change indicates increasing psychological flexibility to reduce criminal behavior.
This study takes place at with the Iowa Department of Corrections (IDOC) at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa. The study will include 300 medium to high risk adult males currently institutionalized and approaching release. The purpose of the study is to test the relative efficacy of ACTV and T4C within the context of normal IDOC reentry efforts, and to investigate the mechanisms of recidivism reduction. Recidivism will be collected from the IDOC and will be measured in 3 ways: rearrests, reconvictions, and reincarcerations during the 3 years post-release. Self-report assessments on theoretically important variables will be collected at pre-treatment and post-treatment.
This RCT will bridge a vital gap in the empirical literature, as to our knowledge, there have not been any RCTs comparing two different CBT reentry programs. The proposed study aims to advance knowledge by identifying the processes that change over treatment that predict successful reentry and desistance from criminal behavior. This knowledge will inform both practitioners and researchers regarding the most important treatment components, and will assist future iterations of treatment development and evaluation.