Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38764141›Full record

ArticleEarly intervention in psychiatry2025

Examining the impact of a group treatment using cognitive and social cognition remediation for young offenders: The justice health NSW school-link advantage pilot study.

Rene Jones, Peter Malouf, Daniel Talbot, James Elhindi, Richard Baker, Anthony Harris

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Early intervention in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rene JonesSpecialty of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0009-0004-8672-6909
Peter MaloufSpecialty of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Daniel TalbotDepartment of Psychiatry, Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5505-4474
James ElhindiResearch and Education Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5032-4925
Richard BakerJustice Health Forensic Mental Health Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Anthony HarrisSpecialty of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

Alto Neuroscience and Takeda PharmaceuticalsAustralian Research CouncilMedical Research Future FundMental Health-Children and Young People (MH-CYP)National Health and Medical Research CouncilNSW Health and Education Training Institute (HETI) Mental Health Research Award funding
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimYoung offenders experience higher rates of neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders than the general population, and significant access barriers to health treatment. Treatment combining Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) and Social Cognition Remediation Therapy (SCRT) has demonstrated benefits for functional improvements and social development. However, there is limited information regarding group treatment programs in custodial settings for young offenders. This pilot study explores the effectiveness and feasibility of a group treatment program for youth offenders with cognitive deficits and mental health concerns in youth detention.

methodsThe School-Link Advantage pilot study designed and tested a 10-week group treatment program combining CRT and SCRT for young offenders in custody. The closed groups incorporated interactive activities focussed on emotional recognition and regulation skills, optimizing executive functioning, understanding values, exploring belief systems, improving relationships, and safety planning.

resultsOf the 22 male participants recruited in an Australian Youth Justice Centre, 12 completed all aspects of the treatment program, reflecting a 54.5% completion rate in a typically challenging to engage population cohort. Results demonstrated significant improvements in the ability to store and retrieve information, recognize information, and control emotions. Planning and organizing skills also showed considerable development.

conclusionsThis pilot study suggests that a combined CRT and SCRT group treatment program has the potential to effectively target cognitive challenges associated with mental health disorders in young offenders in custody. These promising outcomes suggest exploring randomized controlled trials with increased cultural sensitivity for diverse populations.

Indexed as

Cognitive RemediationCriminalsJuvenile DelinquencyPsychotherapy, GroupSocial CognitionAdolescentHumansMaleNew South WalesPilot Projectscognitive remediation therapygroup treatment programmental health interventionsneurocognitiveremediation therapysocial cognitionyouth offenders

Identifiers

PMID38764141
PMCPMC11730350

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.