Clinical Interventions with Gang Adolescents and Their Families

This volume is bold and revolutionary, a clinically oriented primer for clinicians and others interested in the mental health functioning of gang youth and their families. Providing a well-integrated mixture of theory, clinical axioms, and practical ideas, the book offers invaluable information to clinicians, researchers, and program planners working with gang-affiliated adolescents. Standard psychotherapeutic and assessment procedures are discussed in terms of their specific use with gang members. The oft-made assumption that a gang member’s life is one continuous state of antisocial and violent behavior is abandoned in favor of a developmental orientation that considers pregang functioning as well as the transformation that occurs as a result of joining the gang. Discussing gangs from historical and ethnic cultural perspectives, the author takes a developmental orientation toward the evolution and psychological dimensions of gangs. Branch discusses the Family Intervention Project, a specific multiple-family assessment model, at length. He concludes with a review of the research literature on clinical interventions with gang members and practical suggestions for judging the efficacy of treatment approaches. Those working with adolescents who are in at-risk environments or who are already involved in gang activities will find this a useful and welcome tool. This book will also appeal to advanced students in departments of clinical and developmental psychology, education, counseling, and social services.