'Stop & Think!': Social problem-solving therapy with personality-disordered offenders
Abstract
Background: In this paper, the authors describe 'Stop & Think!', a social problem-solving intervention implemented with personality-disordered males resident on a dedicated personality disorder unit (PDU) within Arnold Lodge, a secure forensic psychiatric unit in Leicester, UK, as part of an integrated, multidisciplinary treatment programme. The problem-solving approach consists of seven steps: (1) orientation, (2) problem definition, (3) goal setting, (4) generation of alternatives, (5) decision making, (6) action, and (7) evaluation. Efforts to integrate the 'Stop & Think!' problem-solving process with individual and other therapies are described. Results: Using the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised with 14 PDU patients at three and nine months after the commencement of 'Stop & Think!', significant improvements were recorded on all scales and subscales apart from Positive Problem Orientation. Change was maintained at 15 months for eight patients, with no significant further improvement. Recommendations for developments in assessment and treatment are made.
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Date
2001
Type
Article
Subject
Personality disorders, Medium security facilities, Problem solving, Social behaviour
Collections
Citation
McMurran, M., Fyffe, S., McCarthy, L., Duggan, C. & Latham, A. (2001). 'Stop & Think!': Social problem-solving therapy with personality-disordered offenders. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 11 (4), pp.273-285.