title: The effectiveness of relapse prevention with offenders: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Although relapse prevention models have been applied within offender treatment, there has been little controlled outcome research evaluating their effectiveness. This meta-analysis of 40 tests of relapse prevention treatment revealed moderate mean reductions in recidivism (0.15), and certain elements of the relapse prevention model (i.e., training significant others in the program model and identifying the offense chain) yielded stronger effects than others (i.e., provision of booster/aftercare sessions and developing coping skills). Further analyses revealed that the clinically relevant and psychologically informed principles of risk, need, and general responsivity yielded the strongest reductions in recidivism. The implications for future research and treatment are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dowden
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antonowicz
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011330:Prisons; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome