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The present study examines the construct validity and reliability of the Prison Group Climate Instrument (PGCI) in a sample of 77 adolescents placed in a Dutch youth prison and 49 adult prisoners living in a Dutch psychiatric prison with a therapeutic living group structure. Confirmatory factor analysis of a four-factor model—with "repression," "support," "growth," and "group atmosphere" as first-order factors—and "overall group climate" as a second-order factor shows an adequate fit to the data, indicating construct validity of the PGCI. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients are good for all factors. The PGCI is a parsimonious instrument, enabling future research on group climate in youth prisons and secure forensic psychiatric institutions. The instrument can be used as an assessment tool for judicial interventions that use group climate to improve outcomes in delinquent youth and adult delinquents receiving treatment for psychiatric problems.

AbstractIn residential youth care, a positive living group climate is one of the main pillars for having a child grow up and develop optimally. Despite its importance, the development of a positive living group climate seems to be "under pressure," due to recent evolutions in residential youth care all over the world. This article describes what could be learned from a project focused on monitoring the living group climate in a residential youth care service in Flanders, Belgium. The objectives were (a) to investigate the implications of this project specifically aimed at improving the living group climate, and (b) to discuss the opportunities and challenges of this process, in relation to the particular service and staff, and residential youth care in general.The outcomes indicate that group workers perceive the monitoring process as a constructive tool for discussing outcomes in establishing a positive living climate. Furthermore, the findings show that the living group climate is perceived as a complex context, with many interactions that are difficult to measure or capture—therefore, discussion about the outcomes is an essential part of improvement processes. This study provides insight into the key factors and tensions in the development of a positive living group climate.

The Dutch juvenile justice system locks up an increasing number of adolescent boys and girls at a cost of approximately €250,000 for each inmate annually (Boone & Moerings, 2007; Tonry, 2005). Questions have been raised, however, about the cost‐effectiveness of treatment in closed institutions. This study, with a sample of 49 adolescents residing in a Dutch youth prison, examined the role of group climate in establishing and maintaining treatment effects. Results show that an open group climate, with group workers paying more attention to the psychological needs of the adolescents and giving them 'space' to experiment, led to inmates feeling that they were 'being understood by the group workers'. This perception of being understood was associated with greater treatment motivation and higher internal locus of control. Positive prison workers in the living group turned out to be a key factor in building an open group climate and subsequently higher internal locus of control and greater treatment motivation.

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide an in-depth account of how individuelas with a mild intellectual disabilitiy or borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF; IQ 50–85) perceive their group climate in a secure forensic setting. Giving voice to these service users may provide relevant insights for secure forensic settings.


Design/methodology/approach
The interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to explore what individuals with MID-BIF experience with regard to their group climate.


Findings
In the interviews about the four domains of group climate (i.e. repression, support, growth and atmosphere), five overarching dimensions appeared, namely, autonomy, uniformity, recognition, competence and dignity. Depending on the person and the (treatment) context in which he/she resides, these five dimensions relate to all four factors of the group climate instrument.


Originality/value
From the perspective of individuals with MID-BIF, this study contributes by providing a framework to "fine-tune" group climate on five dimensions. Training socio-therapists to be sensitive to interpret ambiguous signals on these dimensions can contribute to optimizing group climate in secure forensic settings.

This study examined the relationship between detention length, living group climate, coping, and treatment motivation among 59 juvenile delinquents in a Dutch youth correctional facility. Longer detention was associated with the perception of a more open living group climate, but proved to be unrelated to coping and treatment motivation. A repressive group climate was positively associated with passive coping. A more open group climate was associated with both more active coping and greater treatment motivation. Finally, analyses showed that the relation between open group climate and treatment motivation was mediated by active coping. Thus, creating an open group climate to foster active coping and greater treatment motivation is probably one of the most important challenges for youth correctional facilities.

Purpose: This study examined the construct validity and reliability of a therapeutic alliance measure (Children's Alliance Questionnaire [CAQ]) for children with psychosocial and/or behavioral problems, receiving therapeutic residential care or day care in the Netherlands. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis of a one-factor model "therapeutic alliance" was conducted on two samples of 115 and 116 children, aged 4–14 years. Reliability analysis and concurrent validity were examined. Results: Results showed a good fit to the data, indicating construct validity of the measures. Cronbach's α reliability coefficients were good for both alliance measures. Concurrent validity was supported by significant relations between the alliance scale and positive group climate (Group Climate Instrument for Children [GCIC]) and treatment motivation (Adolescent Treatment Motivation Questionnaire). No correlations with negative group climate (GCIC) were found. Discussion: The CAQ can be used as an assessment tool for therapeutic alliance within both residential treatment and therapeutic day care settings for children.

AbstractBackgroundThis study examines associations between group climate, aggressive incidents and coercive measures in adults with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID‐BIF) of a secure forensic setting.MethodParticipants (N = 248) were interviewed about their perception of group climate utilizing the Group Climate Instrument. Data on aggressive incidents and coercive measures were retrieved from the facilities' electronic database. A multilevel structural equation model was fitted in which variability in perception of group climate within and between living groups was examined.ResultsAn open and therapeutic group climate was associated with lower levels of aggression within and between groups. A higher number of aggressive incidents were significantly associated with a higher number of coercive measures.ConclusionsThe findings have implications for the understanding of how group climate may play a role in reducing aggressive incidents at the living group in treatment of individuals with MID‐BIF in secure forensic settings.