“The Broker of Reality”: A Scoping Review of Moral Reconation Therapy

Abstract

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) is a cognitive-behavioral treatment program created in 1987 and implemented in correctional-treatment settings across all US states. Social workers and social work practicum students are among MRT’s facilitators. This scoping review article explores the evidence-based literature supporting MRT. First, we analyze the reliability and validity of the most recent meta-analysis of MRT, covering studies published between 1988 and 2010. We then explore findings of a scoping review of peer-reviewed research published between 2011 and 2021. Our review of 669 articles identified through Google Scholar and eleven academic databases yielded zero peerreviewed studies on MRT’s effectiveness or outcomes. We explore themes that emerged from the exclusion criteria to describe how MRT’s evidence claims may be inflated. Finally, we explore implications for social work educators and practitioners.