Promoting a compassionate motivation in detained youth: A secondary analysis of a controlled trial with the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program.

This study aims to assess the efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP in promoting a compassionate motivation among male detained youth, also testing its role as a potential mechanism of change on the reduction of psychopathic traits. A treatment group (n = 58) and a control group (n = 61) answered a set of self-report measures on psychopathic traits, shame, fears of compassion, social safeness, self-compassion, and compassion for others at three timepoints: baseline, posttreatment, and 6 months' follow-up. Treatment participants attended the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP. Controls received the treatment as usual delivered at juvenile detention facilities. The treatment effects were tested with latent growth curve models. At baseline, no significant differences between groups were found. Results from latent growth curve models showed that condition was a significant predictor of change over time observed in all outcome measures, even after controlling for psychopathic traits scores. When compared with the control group, the treatment group showed a significant decrease on shame and fears of compassion and a significant increase on social safeness, self-compassion, and compassion for others over time (medium-to-large effect sizes; growth modeling analysis d ranging from .57 to .96). It was also observed that increases in self-compassion and, in some cases, decreases in fears of receiving compassion, were crucial to the decrease of psychopathic traits. These findings suggest that the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP is a promising approach to promote a compassionate motivation in these youth, strengthening their rehabilitation odds. Increasing self-compassion and decreasing fears of receiving compassion should be considered when designing intervention programs for detained youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring compassion toward others: Dimensionality of the compassion scale in community adolescents and in adolescents with behavioral disorders.

Compassion toward others has been defined as the sensitivity to the suffering of others with the genuine commitment to relieve/prevent it. The Compassion Scale (CS) measures this construct and despite its relevance during adolescence, studies have been mostly conducted with adults. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Compassion Scale-Adolescents (CS-A) in community adolescents (n = 658; 409 girls) and in boys with behavioral disorders (n = 183), from 14 to 18 years old. Results showed the adequacy of a hierarchical-CFA measurement model, with a general score of compassion and four specific factors (i.e., Kindness, Common Humanity, Mindfulness and Indifference). Measurement invariance was tested across samples. Community girls presented higher levels of compassion when compared to boys. Also, behaviorally disturbed boys presented decreased levels of compassion when compared to community boys. Evidence for reliability and construct validity is also provided. The CS-A allows future research between genders in community adolescents. Additionally, future research exploring compassion using the CS-A, between community boys and samples of behaviorally disturbed boys, is now possible. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program in reducing psychopathic traits: A controlled trial with male detained youth.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program in reducing psychopathic traits among male detained youth. METHOD: In this controlled trial, a treatment group (n = 58) and a control group (n = 61) answered the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory-Short (YPIS) and the Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder (PSCD) at baseline, posttreatment, and 6-month follow-up. Treatment participants attended the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP; controls only received Treatment As Usual (TAU). Treatment effects were tested with latent growth curve models (LGCM). RESULTS: At baseline, no significant differences between groups were found. Results from LGCM showed that condition was a significant predictor of change over time observed in almost all outcome measures. Concerning the YPIS, treatment participants presented a significant decrease both in the total score and in the YPIS factors scores when compared with the controls (medium/large effect sizes; growth modeling analysis-GMA d ranging from .58 to 1.12). Considering the PSCD, treatment participants also showed a significant decrease both in the total score and in the PSCD factors scores (except for the grandiose-manipulative factor) when compared with controls (medium effect sizes; GMA d ranging from .53 to .72). Results also showed that treatment effects were maintained 6 months after the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP completion. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP is a promising treatment approach to reduce psychopathic traits among male detained youth, suggesting that interventions targeting these traits should be considered in their rehabilitation, as the absence of tailored interventions may increase the levels of psychopathic traits and their associated risks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effects of the Growing Pro-Social Program on Early Maladaptive Schemas and Schema-Related Emotions in Male Young Offenders: A Nonrandomized Trial.

This study aimed to test the effects of a 25-session version of the Growing Pro-Social (GPS-25) program over schemas and schema-related emotions in male young offenders. Participants included 123 youth aged between 14 and 19 years, placed in eight Portuguese detention facilities. Youth were allocated to receive GPS (n = 63) or treatment as usual (n = 60), and answered a self-report measure assessing schemas and schema-related emotions at baseline and posttreatment. Two-factor mixed multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA; group change) and the Reliable Change Index (individual change) revealed nonsignificant differences between groups for the schema's endorsement. Significant differences between groups were found for the schema-related emotions: Treatment participants presented lower scores and/or higher clinical improvements after GPS, when compared with controls. GPS-25 produced change at an emotional level but not in schema's endorsement, suggesting that longer interventions should be tested in their capability to promote cognitive and emotional change in young offenders.