Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment of Choice or a Last Resort? A Review of Residential Mental Health Placements for Children and Youth

  • Published:
Child and Youth Care Forum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Residential treatment programs serve troubled youth who tend to first fail in other treatment programs. Residential treatment is often regarded as a treatment of ‘last resorts.’ A review of available studies of the effectiveness of residential treatment delivered in group home settings and residential treatment centres concludes that, despite methodological shortcomings and variability in programming, residential services do improve functioning for some, but not all, youth. However, gains made during treatment are not easily maintained and tend to dissipate over time. The level of family involvement in treatment is generally regarded as predictive of posttreatment patterns of adjustment. Successful posttreatment patterns of adjustment also depend on posttreatment environmental factors such as available support and residential stability. Continued long-term followup of youth in residential treatment is critical to our understanding of the types of individuals for whom residential settings are a particularly good match.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bates, B. C., English, D. J., & Kouidou-Giles, S. (1997). Residential treatment and its alternatives: A review of the literature. Child & Youth Care Forum, 26(1), 7–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blotcky, M. & Lichtenstein, A. (1986). Integration of education in child residential treatment. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 4(1), 41–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burks, J. (1995). Edgewood Children's Center outcome study 1991/1992. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 13(2), 31–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buysse, W. H. (1997). Behaviour problems and relationships with family and peers during adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 20(6), 645–659.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cates, J. A. (1991). Residential treatment in the 1980s: I. Characteristics of children served. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 9(1), 75–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain, P. (1999). Residential care for children and adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. In H. C. Quay & A. E. Hogan (Eds.), Handbook of disruptive behaviour disorders (pp. 495–506). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plemum Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curry, J. F. (1991). Outcome research on residential treatment: Implications and suggested directions. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 61(3), 348–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, D. M., Pal, A., & Goldberg, K. (1994). Assessing the post-residential functioning of latency-aged conduct disordered children. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 11(3), 45–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durrant, M. (1993). Residential treatment: A cooperative, competency-based approach to therapy and program design. New York, NY: W. W. Norton and Co., Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elson, S. E. (1996). Children's residential treatment: Last resort or treatment of choice. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 14(2), 33–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friman, P. C., Toner, C., Soper, S., Sinclair, J., & Shanahan, D. (1996). Maintaining placement for troubled and disruptive adolescents in voluntary residential care: The role of reduced youth-to-staff ratio. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5(3), 337–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrett, C. J. (1985). Effects of residential treatment on adjudicated delinquents: Ametaanalysis. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 22(4), 287–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giacobbe, G. & Traynelis-Yurek, E. (1992). Attitudinal changes as measured by the Jesness Behaviour Checklist in a residential peer group program. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 3, 345–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, K. (1991). Family experiences of residential treatment. Journal of Child and Youth Care, 6(4), 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoagwood, K., & Cunningham, M. (1992). Outcomes of children with emotional disturbance in residential treatment for educational purposes. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 129–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenson, J. M., & Whittaker, J. K. (1989). Partners in care: Involving parents in children's residential treatment. In R. D. Lyman & S. Prentice-Dunn & S. Gabel (Eds.), Residential and inpatient treatment of children and adolescents (pp. 207–227). New York, NY: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirigin, K. A., Braukmann, C. J., Atwater, J. D. & Wolfe, M. M. (1982). An evaluation of teaching-family (achievement place) group homes for juvenile offenders. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 15(1), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutash, K., & Rivera, V. R. (1996). What works in children's mental health services? Uncovering answers to critical questions. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehman, C. M., & Irvin, L. K. (1996). Support for families with children who have emotional or behavioural disorders. Education and Treatment of Children, 19(3), 335–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, W. W. (1982). Ecological factors in successful residential treatment. Behavioural Disorders, 7, 149–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, W. W. (1984). Ecological Change: A necessary condition for residential treatment. Child Care Quarterly, 13(1), 21–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, W. W. (1988). The role of ecological variables in residential treatment. Behavioural Disorders, 13(2), 98–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyman, R. D., & Campbell, N. R. (1996). Treating children and adolescents in residential and inpatient settings. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyman, R. D., & Wilson, D. R. (1992). Residential and inpatient treatment of emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. In C. E. Walker & M. C. Roberts (Eds.), Handbook of clinical child psychology (2nd edition ed., pp. 829–843). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, L. M., & O'Connor, T. W. (1991). A psychiatric residential centre for children and adolescents: A pilot study of its patients' characteristics and improvement while resident. Child: Care, Health, and Development, 17, 235–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noble, D. N., & Gibson, D. (1994). Family values in action: Family connectedness for children in substitute care. Child and Youth Care Forum, 23(5), 315–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oswalt, G. L., Daly, D. L., & Richter, M. D. (1990). A longitudinal follow-up study of Boys Town residents: Implications for treating “at risk” youth, A system of care for children's mental health: Expanding the research base. Tampa, FL: Florida Mental Health Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quay, H. C. (1986). Residential treatment. In H. C. Quay & J. S. Werry (Eds.), Psychopathological disorders of childhood (pp. 558–582). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, K., & Epstein, M. H. (1998). Characteristics of children, youth, and families served by local interagency systems of care. In M. H. Epstein & K. Kutash & A. Duchnowski (Eds.), Outcomes for children and youth with emotional and behavioural disorders and their families (pp. 81–114). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinton, D., & Rutter, M. (1984a). Parents with children in care: I. Current circumstances and parenting. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 25(2), 211–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinton, D., & Rutter, M. (1984b). Parents with children in care: II. Intergenerational continuities. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 25(2), 231–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savas, S. A., Epstein, I., & Grasso, A. J. (1993). Client characteristics, family contacts, and treatment outcomes. Child & Youth Services, 16(1), 125–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, S. E., Duchnowski, A., Kutash, K., Friedman, R. M., Eisen, M., Prange, M., Brandenburg, N. A., & Greenbaum, P. E. (1992). A comparison of children with serious emotional disturbances served in residential and school settings. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 43–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, D. A., & Alpert, S. W. (1973). Continuity and support following residential treatment. New York, NY: Child Welfare League of America, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R. W., Smith, G. L., Osgood, D. W., Dowd, T. P., Friman, P. C., & Daly, D. L. (1996). Residential care: A study of short-and long-term educational effects. Children and Youth Services Review, 18(3), 221–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timbers, G. (1990). Describing the children served in treatment homes. In P. Meadowcroft & B. A. Trout (Eds.), Troubled youth in treatment homes: A handbook of therapeutic foster care (pp. 21–32). Washington, D.C.: C.W.L.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells, K. (1991). Placement of emotionally disturbed children in residential treatment: A review of placement criteria. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 61(3), 339–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells, K., & Whittington, D. (1993). Characteristics of youths referred to residential treatment: Implications for program design. Children and Youth Services Review, 15(3), 195–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells, K., Wyatt, E., & Hobfoll, S. (1991). Factors associated with adaptation of youths discharged from residential treatment. Child & Youth Services Review, 13, 199–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitaker, D., Archer, L., & Hicks, L. (1998). Working in children's homes: Challenges and complexities. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, J. K., & Maluccio, A. N. (1988). Understanding the families of children in foster and residential care. In E. W. Nunnally & C. S. Chilman (Eds.), Troubled relationships: Families in trouble series (Vol. 3, pp. 192–204). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, J. K., & Pecora, P. (1984). A research agenda for residential care. In T. Philpot (Ed.), Group care practice: The challenge of the next decade (pp. 71–86). Sutton, Surry: Business Press International Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, J. K., Tripodi, T., & Grasso, A. J. (1993). Youth and family characteristics, treatment histories, and service outcomes: Some preliminary findings from the Boysville research program. Child & Youth Services, 16(1), 139–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yelton, S. (1993). Children in residential treatment—Policies for the '90s. Children and Youth Services Review, 15, 173–193.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Partnerships for Children and Families Project, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5

    Karen M. Frensch

  2. Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada

    Gary Cameron

Authors
  1. Karen M. Frensch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gary Cameron
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Frensch, K.M., Cameron, G. Treatment of Choice or a Last Resort? A Review of Residential Mental Health Placements for Children and Youth. Child & Youth Care Forum 31, 307–339 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016826627406

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016826627406

Search

Navigation