It is important to identify substance use disorders among youth who enter the juvenile justice system using a validated screener, such as the Texas Christian University Drug Screen 5 (TCU DS 5), so that necessary services can be provided to youth in need of treatment. While the TCU DS 5 is a valid, evidence-based screener, the use of an Item Response Theory model may better differentiate between mild, moderate, and severe forms of substance use disorders. The current study analyzed the feasibility and incremental value gained in using an Item Response Theory model to compute drug use severity scores as compared to its current scoring methodology. Results showed that while Item Response Theory may not be worthwhile as the standard method of scoring, item level analyses revealed there are benefits to using Item Response Theory to determine which items on a screener are most suggestive of severe substance use problems.
In the United States, approximately 9 million people cycle in and out of jail and more than 600,000 people are released from prison each year. Unfortunately, the reentry process includes several barriers people must overcome (e.g., criminal thinking) to achieve adequate psychosocial functioning. As such, valid and reliable assessments that allow correctional staff to monitor clients' progress in treatment and test program effectiveness are paramount to reducing this major public safety concern. The TCU Criminal Thinking Scales (CTS) are a widely used assessment of criminal thinking in correctional settings. This study reevaluated the psychometric properties of the TCU CTS using Item Response Theory. Results showed the TCU CTS had good internal reliability and each scale loaded onto one factor. Item level analysis revealed most items adequately fit the model, generally measuring moderate levels of criminal thinking. Furthermore, several TCU CTS scales were negatively correlated with motivation for treatment and psychosocial functioning.
Contact between incarcerated parents and their children can help maintain family relationships. However, links between parent-child contact and child behavior problems are understudied in young children, especially the contexts in which visits and other forms of contact occur. Data were collected from 157 parents incarcerated in one of two jails regarding contact with their young children (age 2-6), as well as children's behavior problems. Findings indicated that jail site moderated the association between visit frequency and child behavior problems. At the jail that offered both on-site video and Plexiglas visits, with no security procedures for the on-site video visits, more frequent parent-child visits were associated with fewer child externalizing problems; however, in the jail that offered primarily Plexiglas visits, more frequent visits were associated with more child externalizing problems. Additionally, more phone calls related to more child externalizing behavior problems. This research has implications for policies and practices regarding contact between incarcerated parents and their young children.
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