Feasibility Trial of a Correctional Management for Juvenile Offenders
ConditionJuvenile Delinquency
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexMale
Age11-17
SponsorUniversity of the Punjab
About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a structured Correctional Management intervention can be feasibly implemented with incarcerated juveniles in a correctional institution. It will also assess whether the research procedures can be successfully carried out with this population.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Can participants be effectively recruited, retained, and engaged, and can the intervention be delivered acceptably with adequate therapist adherence and complete outcome data collection? 2. Does the intervention demonstrate preliminary effectiveness? Researcher will compare an experimental (intervention) group to a control group receiving standard institutional management to see if the intervention can be practically delivered and is associated with initial changes in outcomes.
Participants will:
1. Be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group 2. Complete assessments at baseline (before the intervention) and post-intervention 3. Attend structured intervention sessions (if assigned to the experimental group) 4. Complete standardized self-report measures assessing emotional and behavioral difficulties, psychological capital, criminal thinking styles, attitudes toward seeking mental health services, emotion regulation, and moral disengagement
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Male juvenile offenders aged 11 to 17 years
Currently residing in a correctional institution
Able to understand Urdu and participate in group-based sessions
Provide informed assent
Disqualifiers
Presence of a severe psychiatric condition requiring immediate or intensive clinical treatment
Significant cognitive impairment or developmental condition that limits ability to engage in the intervention
Currently receiving another structured psychological or behavioral intervention
Medical or behavioral condition that would interfere with safe participation, as determined by institutional staff or the researcher
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
A Correctional Management for Juvenile Offenders
BehavioralJuveniles often face a range of psychological, emotional, and behavioral difficulties that contribute to their engagement in harmful or delinquent behaviors such as theft, physical fights, property offenses, and in some cases more serious acts including violent or sexual offenses and drug-related activities. Many struggle with impulsivity, difficulty in regulating their emotions, moral disengagement, and difficulties in understanding the consequences of their actions. This structured therapeutic intervention aims to support psychological rehabilitation of incarcerated juveniles through 15 group-based sessions. The program targets emotional awareness, emotion regulation, cognitive restructuring, accountability, empathy, understanding consequences of behavior, consent awareness, identity development, relapse prevention, and future planning to promote reintegration.
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Correctional Management for Juvenile OffendersExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Standard Institutional Management (Control)No intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Recruitment Rate
Recruitment rate will be defined as the proportion of eligible participants who provide informed consent to participate in the study. This will be calculated during the recruitment phase at baseline and reported as a percentage, reflecting the feasibility of enrolling participants into the intervention.
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)2
Retention Rate
Retention rate will be defined as the proportion of participants who remain in the study and complete the post-intervention assessment. This outcome will be assessed from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks) and reported as a percentage, indicating the ability to maintain participant involvement over time.
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)3
Participant Adherence
Participant adherence will be measured by session attendance, calculated as the number of sessions attended out of a total of 15 sessions. This may also be expressed as a percentage and will be assessed across the intervention period (7-8 weeks), providing an indication of participant engagement with the program.
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)4
Intervention Fidelity
Intervention fidelity will be evaluated using a structured fidelity checklist to assess the extent to which the intervention is delivered in accordance with the established protocol. Fidelity scores will be reported as a percentage, reflecting the consistency and quality of intervention delivery throughout the study period
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)Secondary outcomes
1
Change from Baseline in Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties (SDQ)
Assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a 25-item self-report measure of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and prosocial behavior. Total Difficulties scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater emotional and behavioral problems.
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)2
Change from Baseline in Psychological Capital (APS)
Psychological capital will be assessed using the Anila Psychological Capital Scale, a 34-item self-report measure assessing resilience, hope, self-efficacy, and optimism. Each item is rated on a Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 34 to 170. Higher scores indicate greater psychological capital (i.e., a better outcome). Change from baseline will be evaluated from pre-intervention to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks).
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)3
Change from Baseline in Criminal Thinking Styles (JCTSI)
Criminal thinking styles will be assessed using the Juvenile Criminal Thinking Styles Inventory, a 52-item self-report measure comprising three subscales: Juvenile Social Alienation Scale (18 items), Juvenile Vindication Scale (19 items), and Juvenile Domination Scale (15 items). All items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Subscale scores range from 18 to 90 for social alienation, 19 to 95 for vindication, and 15 to 75 for domination, while the total score ranges from 52 to 260. Higher scores indicate greater levels of maladaptive criminal thinking (i.e., a worse outcome). Change from baseline will be assessed from pre-intervention to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks).
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)4
Change from Baseline in Emotion Regulation (ERQ)
Emotion regulation will be assessed using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, a 10-item self-report measure comprising two independent subscales: Cognitive Reappraisal (6 items) and Expressive Suppression (4 items). Each item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Subscale scores are calculated separately, with Cognitive Reappraisal scores ranging from 6 to 42 and Expressive Suppression scores ranging from 4 to 28. Higher scores on Cognitive Reappraisal indicate greater use of adaptive emotion regulation (i.e., a better outcome), whereas higher scores on Expressive Suppression indicate greater use of a less adaptive strategy (i.e., a worse outcome). Change from baseline will be evaluated from pre-intervention to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks).
Time frame
From baseline to post-intervention (approximately 7-8 weeks)Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov