Florence O. Holmes, for the Masters Of Science Degree in Behavioral Analysis and Therapy, presented on July, 2015, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: ACCEPTABILITY OF INTERVENTIONS OF STAFF IN SHORT TERM CARE SETTING FOR CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES COMPARING RATING AND HIERARCHICAL SELECTION MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Mark Dixon, Ph.D. The present study asked twenty active treatment team members, in a children’s behavioral health hospital in Springfield, IL to answer a pen and paper survey. This study extended research on treatment acceptability by replicating, Baker and LeBlanc (2011), who compared ratings and hierarchical selections in a long term care facility with older adults. Specifically, participants were given the opportunity to rate treatments using a treatment acceptability survey, and were then given a choice (i.e., asked to select which they would be most comfortable implementing) between various treatment options with using a variety of scenarios and choices. In this study it was interesting to find that though an individual selected a treatment as being a good treatment, when asked what they would feel comfortable using in a pinch did not always match what they related as being acceptable. In comparison the results of Baker and LeBlanc are very similar to the current study. In contrast, the rating for the behavioral intervention was higher in the present study and was also selected much more than in Baker and LeBlanc. Baker and LeBlanc reported statistically significant correlations between selections and ratings. Although this study did not recruit enough participants to allow for a statistical analysis, 50% of the participants in this study had a match for what they rated the highest compared to what they selected the most.

The number of females arrested for violent crimes has increased. The juvenile justice system continues to be challenged with developing gender-based treatment strategies to accommodate female delinquents. The purpose of this study was to examine probation officers' perceptions of the treatment provided for female delinquents and its ability to rehabilitate, reduce recidivism, and promote successful transition among female delinquents. The framework of this study encompassed the feminist theory from a criminology perspective. Data collection included interviews with 5 probation officers in El Paso County's Juvenile Justice Detention Center. Interviews were reviewed to generate a summary of relevancy. Themes and codes pertaining to the research were identified for analysis. The participants provided several recommendations for treating the female delinquent; they also identified that a lack of resources and funding for gender-responsive treatment contributed to the systems' inability to provide gender-specific treatment for female delinquents. Implementation by the Juvenile Justice Department of gender-responsive programs would respond to the varied needs of female delinquents; thereby increasing rehabilitation, reducing recidivism, and promoting successful transition among female delinquents. This implementation would benefit society as a whole, producing productive members who are able to affect social change.