Changes in the YLS/CMI risk inventory scores as predictors of MST behavioral treatment goals
| Date | 19 May 2023 |
| Pages | 133-146 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-05-2022-0016 |
| Published date | 19 May 2023 |
| Author | Silje Sommer Hukkelberg,Terje G. Ogden,Knut Taraldsen |
Changes in the YLS/CMI risk inventory
scores as predictors of MST behavioral
treatment goals
Silje Sommer Hukkelberg, Terje G. Ogden and Knut Taraldsen
Abstract
Purpose –This study aimsto investigate outcomes of multisystemictherapy (MST) using the Youth Level
of Service/CaseManagement Inventory (YLS/CMI)–part I.
Design/methodology/approach –This study, using a pre-post design, included a sample of 2,123
Norwegian youths (meanage = 14.7, SD = 1.34). The MST team supervisorsassessed the YLS/CMI risk
factors in addition to five behavioraltreatment goals (Lives at home, Attends school/work, No violence/
threats, Law-abiding and Drug-free) before and after treatment. In addition, data included responses
from parentinterviews six months posttreatment.
Findings –Significant correlationswere found between the total and dynamic YLS/CMIchange scores
and the additive index of behavioraltreatment goals. In addition, the YLS/CMI changescores predicted
the fivetreatment goals at the termination oftreatment and at six-month follow-up.
Research limitations/implications –The results indicate that the YLS/CMI is a valuable assessment
tool for predicting the achievement of MST behavioral goals in adolescents with serious problem
behavior.
Practical implications –This study provides an evaluationof the YLS/CMI in a Norwegian context and
adds supportfor continued use of the YLS/CMI in MST.
Originality/value –This paper provides new insights about the YLS/CMI inventory as a tool for
examining treatmentchange in MST. Results show that the YLS/CMI capturesrelevant risk factors in the
youths’environment.
Keywords YLS/CMI, Multisystemic therapy, Youth problem behavior, Measurement
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Assessments of risk behaviors among offending youths have gradually improved, from
being based on unstructured clinical judgments to quantitative assessments that are
empirically supported. A comprehensive and widely used tool for evaluating criminogenic
risk factors is the Youth Levelof Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) (Hoge and
Andrews, 2011), which is a structured and standardized measurement targeting offending
youths. The instrument is included in the monitoring of multisystemic therapy (MST)
(Henggeler et al., 2009) in Norway, which was introduced in 1999 (Henggeler et al.,2009;
Ogden et al., 2008). The MST program was evaluated in a randomized clinical trial in 2004
(Ogden and Halliday-Boykins, 2004) and a follow-up study in 2006 (Ogden and Amlund-
Hagen, 2006). Both in consideration of the program maturation that has taken place over
the years and the improvements in design, measures and analyses of randomized
controlled trials (RCTs), a new clinical trial would be timely. Currently, 22 MST teams are in
operation in the specialist Child Welfare Services (Bufetat) in Norway, following referrals
from the municipal Child Welfare Services. MST targets youths 12–18years with severe
Silje Sommer Hukkelberg
and Terje G. Ogden are
both based at The
Research Department, The
Norwegian Center for Child
Behavioral Development
(NUBU), Oslo, Norway.
Knut Taraldsen is based at
The Developing Department
for Youth, The Norwegian
Center for Child Behavioral
Development (NUBU), Oslo,
Norway.
Received 16 May 2022
Revised 31 March 2023
Accepted 14 April 2023
The authors would like to thank
the adolescents and their
parents who participated in
MST and the therapists and
supervisors for providing
treatment and data.
Funding: The authors did not
receive any financial support.
Conflict of interest: The authors
declare that they have no
competing interests.
Ethical approval:Thedata
material was collected for
quality assurance purposes and
anonymized before
analyses.Data collectedbefore
July 20, 2018, was approved by
the Norwegian Data Protection
Authority. After this date, the
European Union¨s General Data
Protection Regulation came into
force, and processing was
based on informed consent. The
Norwegian Regional Committee
for Medical and Health Research
Ethics found the project to be
outside the domain of the
Norwegian law on research
ethics and medical research.
DOI 10.1108/JCS-05-2022-0016 VOL. 18 NO. 2 2023, pp. 133-146, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660 jJOURNAL OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES jPAGE 133
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