A Model for Evaluating Behaviorally‐Based Inclusive Practices Addressing Subjective Emotional Distress Among Justice‐Involved Youth

ABSTRACT For justice‐involved youth (JIY) in residential facilities, a variety of daily interactions may give rise to distressing internal stimuli. In turn, these internal stimulus conditions often lead to chronic states of distress, contributing to increased challenging behavior, negative affect, or both, worsening conditions of confinement. Although a variety of evidence‐based interventions exist for JIY, the extent to which these interventions allow youth to take an active role in making treatment decisions is varied and limited. In addition, a relative paucity of research exists on the feasibility of cognitive defusion with JIY. The present study sought to determine if defusion is an effective intervention to decrease self‐reported distress levels among JIY. Participants were invited to (a) develop an individualized subjective units of distress scale, (b) implement three defusion strategies in response to a script during individual sessions, and (c) provide feedback about the intervention process. Results were used to make recommendations to participants regarding effective and preferred strategies based on their feedback. Findings suggest defusion can be effectively implemented by behavior analysts in practice with JIY. Limitations of this application model and directions for future research are discussed.