Stacy Calhoun | Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA (original) (raw)

Papers by Stacy Calhoun

There continues to be considerable debate regarding the most effective ways to reduce the number ... more There continues to be considerable debate regarding the most effective ways to reduce the number of mentally ill offenders in the adult criminal justice system. What is often missing from this national discussion is an examination of the factors associated with their initial involvement in illegal activities. This qualitative study assesses the self-perceived role that psychiatric symptoms had in the onset and continued offending of a sample of 28 parolees with mental illness. The findings showed that psychiatric symptoms rarely played a direct role in the onset and continued offending in this sample. Furthermore, the majority of the sample started offending prior to the age of 18, highlighting the need to devote more resources toward delivering evidence-based interventions to youth at risk of becoming involved in a criminal lifestyle as one strategy for reducing the number of mentally ill who become involved in the adult criminal justice system

Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2007

The Inmate Prerelease Assessment (IPASS) was developed specifically as a measure of postrelease r... more The Inmate Prerelease Assessment (IPASS) was developed specifically as a measure of postrelease risk for prison-based treatment graduates. By taking into account historical drug use and criminal activity of inmates as well as their performance during prison-based treatment, the IPASS provides a “priority” score indicating the relative need for more (versus less) intensive treatment services on release. The present study

A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred ov... more A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred over the past two decades. Efforts to deliver drug treatment in diverse criminal justice settings have taken numerous forms, including prison-and jail-based therapeutic communities, drug courts, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) programs, and various initiatives incorporating substance abuse treatment within correctional programming (eg, boot camps, day reporting centers, reentry programs). ...

Substance use & misuse, Jan 23, 2016

ABSTARCT Background: High attrition among research participants undermines the validity and gener... more ABSTARCT Background: High attrition among research participants undermines the validity and generalizability of field research. This study contrasted two incentivizing methods-money orders (MOs) or rechargeable incentive cards (RICs)-with regard to rates of participants' study engagement and follow-up contact over a 6-month period. Substance abusers (N = 303) in Los Angeles, California were recruited and randomized to either an MO (control) or RIC (experimental) condition. All participants were asked to call the researchers at the beginning of each calendar month for the ensuing 5 months to update their locator information, even if nothing had changed. Each call resulted in a $10 payment, issued immediately via the RIC system or by MO by mail. Research staff located and interviewed all participants at Month 6. Contact logs assessed level of effort required to locate participants and conduct follow-up interviews. Relative to controls, RIC participants, especially those with low a...

Psychiatric Services, 2016

Many offenders treated for psychiatric disorders while incarcerated are paroled to counties where... more Many offenders treated for psychiatric disorders while incarcerated are paroled to counties where psychiatric care is limited, leading some correctional departments to offer psychiatric treatment via videoconferencing. However, the effectiveness of telepsychiatry for offenders with psychiatric disorders has not been rigorously evaluated. In this randomized field experiment, the authors compared the effectiveness of telepsychiatry and in-person psychiatric sessions (treatment as usual) among 71 parolees receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment over a six-month period. Satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic alliance, medication adherence, and psychological functioning were measured. Follow-up data were collected from 60 of the 71 (85%) patients (N=20, telepsychiatry; N=40, control condition). Findings revealed high satisfaction with telepsychiatry overall and no significant group differences in medication adherence or psychological functioning. However, telepsychiatry patients reported lower levels of therapeutic alliance at follow-up. Telepsychiatry appeared to be an acceptable and effective approach for providing psychiatric care for this population.

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2014

Traumatic experiences among women offenders can impact their psychological well-being and pattern... more Traumatic experiences among women offenders can impact their psychological well-being and patterns of substance use and offending. However, rigorous research in this area for women offenders with a history of trauma is sparse. This study combined data from 2 previous studies of women offenders in order to provide greater statistical power in examining the psychological trends found in the individual studies. Specifically, women in gender-responsive treatment (GRT; n = 135) were compared to women in non-GRT (n = 142) in regard to their change in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related symptomatology from baseline to follow-up. The pooled sample of women were predominantly White (58%) or Hispanic (22%), and many had never been married (47%); their mean age was 36 years (SD = 8.9), and, on average, they had 12 years (SD = 1.8) of education. Methamphetamine was their primary drug (71%). Moreover, 55% of the women reported histories of sexual abuse and 37% physical abuse. Finally, 31% had a diagnosis of PTSD. Using generalized estimation equations, we detected significant Group × Time interactions in PTSD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.17) and some related symptomatology (reexperiencing: OR = 0.42; and avoidance: OR = 0.24). Given the aggregate impact of trauma in the lives of women offenders, these women, their families, and their communities could benefit from research on how trauma influences their lives and on services that mitigate the negative impact of such histories.

Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2012

for their help with study coordination, data collection, data entry, and data building. We would ... more for their help with study coordination, data collection, data entry, and data building. We would also like to thank Kim Bond, president and CEO for Mental Health Systems; Alison Ordille; Patricia Lazalde; and the program directors and counseling staff for their cooperation with training, implementation, recruitment, randomization, and support of program data collection. We are grateful to the San Diego County Drug Court System judges and staff for their support and assistance on this project. We are also grateful to Stephanie Covington for her many hours of training and program site visits and Penny Philpot for her on-site facilitation with implementation of the curricula and clinical supervision. Finally, we wish to thank the participants who volunteered to be interviewed and to share their life experiences with us. This pilot study compared outcomes for 94 women offenders in San Diego County, California, who participated in four drug court programs. Women were randomized to gender-responsive (GR) programs using Helping Women Recover and Beyond Trauma or standard mixed-gender treatment. Data were collected at program entry, during treatment, and approximately 22 months after treatment entry. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results showed that GR participants had better in-treatment performance, more positive perceptions related to their treatment experience, and trends indicating reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology. Both groups improved in their self-reported psychological well-being and reported reductions in drug use (p < .06) and arrest (a diagnosis of PTSD was the primary predictor of reductions in rearrest, p < .04). Findings show some beneficial effects of adding treatment components oriented toward women's needs. Significant questions remain, particularly around PTSD and whether it should be targeted to improve substance use outcomes for women.

Federal …, 2010

... UCLA. (Sub Award No. 07-002647.) We thank Jordana Hemberg for research support and Crystal Fa... more ... UCLA. (Sub Award No. 07-002647.) We thank Jordana Hemberg for research support and Crystal Faulconer for data collection. We also thank the study participants for sharing their experiences with us. back to top References ...

A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred ov... more A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred over the past two decades. Efforts to deliver drug treatment in diverse criminal justice settings have taken numerous forms, including prison-and jail-based therapeutic communities, drug courts, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) programs, and various initiatives incorporating substance abuse treatment within correctional programming (eg, boot camps, day reporting centers, reentry programs). ...

Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 2015

Substance abuse is a major public health concern that impacts not just the user but also the user... more Substance abuse is a major public health concern that impacts not just the user but also the user's family. The effect that parental substance abuse has on children has been given substantial attention over the years. Findings from the literature suggest that children of substance-abusing parents have a high risk of developing physical and mental health and behavioral problems. A number of intervention programs have been developed for parents who have a substance abuse problem. There have also been a number of interventions that have been developed for children who have at least one parent with a substance abuse problem. However, it remains unclear how we can best mitigate the negative effects that parental substance abuse has on children due to the scarcity of evaluations that utilize rigorous methodologies such as experimental designs. The purpose of this study is to review randomized controlled trials of intervention programs targeting parents with substance abuse problems and/or children with at least one parent with a substance abuse problem in order to identify programs that show some promise in improving the behavioral and mental health outcomes of children affected by parental substance abuse. Four randomized controlled trials that met our eligibility criteria were identified using major literature search engines. The findings from this review suggest that interventions that focus on improving parenting practices and family functioning may be effective in reducing problems in children affected by parental substance abuse. However, further research utilizing rigorous methodologies are needed in order to identify other successful interventions that can improve the outcomes of these children long after the intervention has ended.

There continues to be considerable debate regarding the most effective ways to reduce the number ... more There continues to be considerable debate regarding the most effective ways to reduce the number of mentally ill offenders in the adult criminal justice system. What is often missing from this national discussion is an examination of the factors associated with their initial involvement in illegal activities. This qualitative study assesses the self-perceived role that psychiatric symptoms had in the onset and continued offending of a sample of 28 parolees with mental illness. The findings showed that psychiatric symptoms rarely played a direct role in the onset and continued offending in this sample. Furthermore, the majority of the sample started offending prior to the age of 18, highlighting the need to devote more resources toward delivering evidence-based interventions to youth at risk of becoming involved in a criminal lifestyle as one strategy for reducing the number of mentally ill who become involved in the adult criminal justice system

Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2007

The Inmate Prerelease Assessment (IPASS) was developed specifically as a measure of postrelease r... more The Inmate Prerelease Assessment (IPASS) was developed specifically as a measure of postrelease risk for prison-based treatment graduates. By taking into account historical drug use and criminal activity of inmates as well as their performance during prison-based treatment, the IPASS provides a “priority” score indicating the relative need for more (versus less) intensive treatment services on release. The present study

A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred ov... more A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred over the past two decades. Efforts to deliver drug treatment in diverse criminal justice settings have taken numerous forms, including prison-and jail-based therapeutic communities, drug courts, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) programs, and various initiatives incorporating substance abuse treatment within correctional programming (eg, boot camps, day reporting centers, reentry programs). ...

Substance use & misuse, Jan 23, 2016

ABSTARCT Background: High attrition among research participants undermines the validity and gener... more ABSTARCT Background: High attrition among research participants undermines the validity and generalizability of field research. This study contrasted two incentivizing methods-money orders (MOs) or rechargeable incentive cards (RICs)-with regard to rates of participants' study engagement and follow-up contact over a 6-month period. Substance abusers (N = 303) in Los Angeles, California were recruited and randomized to either an MO (control) or RIC (experimental) condition. All participants were asked to call the researchers at the beginning of each calendar month for the ensuing 5 months to update their locator information, even if nothing had changed. Each call resulted in a $10 payment, issued immediately via the RIC system or by MO by mail. Research staff located and interviewed all participants at Month 6. Contact logs assessed level of effort required to locate participants and conduct follow-up interviews. Relative to controls, RIC participants, especially those with low a...

Psychiatric Services, 2016

Many offenders treated for psychiatric disorders while incarcerated are paroled to counties where... more Many offenders treated for psychiatric disorders while incarcerated are paroled to counties where psychiatric care is limited, leading some correctional departments to offer psychiatric treatment via videoconferencing. However, the effectiveness of telepsychiatry for offenders with psychiatric disorders has not been rigorously evaluated. In this randomized field experiment, the authors compared the effectiveness of telepsychiatry and in-person psychiatric sessions (treatment as usual) among 71 parolees receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment over a six-month period. Satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic alliance, medication adherence, and psychological functioning were measured. Follow-up data were collected from 60 of the 71 (85%) patients (N=20, telepsychiatry; N=40, control condition). Findings revealed high satisfaction with telepsychiatry overall and no significant group differences in medication adherence or psychological functioning. However, telepsychiatry patients reported lower levels of therapeutic alliance at follow-up. Telepsychiatry appeared to be an acceptable and effective approach for providing psychiatric care for this population.

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2014

Traumatic experiences among women offenders can impact their psychological well-being and pattern... more Traumatic experiences among women offenders can impact their psychological well-being and patterns of substance use and offending. However, rigorous research in this area for women offenders with a history of trauma is sparse. This study combined data from 2 previous studies of women offenders in order to provide greater statistical power in examining the psychological trends found in the individual studies. Specifically, women in gender-responsive treatment (GRT; n = 135) were compared to women in non-GRT (n = 142) in regard to their change in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related symptomatology from baseline to follow-up. The pooled sample of women were predominantly White (58%) or Hispanic (22%), and many had never been married (47%); their mean age was 36 years (SD = 8.9), and, on average, they had 12 years (SD = 1.8) of education. Methamphetamine was their primary drug (71%). Moreover, 55% of the women reported histories of sexual abuse and 37% physical abuse. Finally, 31% had a diagnosis of PTSD. Using generalized estimation equations, we detected significant Group × Time interactions in PTSD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.17) and some related symptomatology (reexperiencing: OR = 0.42; and avoidance: OR = 0.24). Given the aggregate impact of trauma in the lives of women offenders, these women, their families, and their communities could benefit from research on how trauma influences their lives and on services that mitigate the negative impact of such histories.

Criminal Justice and Behavior, 2012

for their help with study coordination, data collection, data entry, and data building. We would ... more for their help with study coordination, data collection, data entry, and data building. We would also like to thank Kim Bond, president and CEO for Mental Health Systems; Alison Ordille; Patricia Lazalde; and the program directors and counseling staff for their cooperation with training, implementation, recruitment, randomization, and support of program data collection. We are grateful to the San Diego County Drug Court System judges and staff for their support and assistance on this project. We are also grateful to Stephanie Covington for her many hours of training and program site visits and Penny Philpot for her on-site facilitation with implementation of the curricula and clinical supervision. Finally, we wish to thank the participants who volunteered to be interviewed and to share their life experiences with us. This pilot study compared outcomes for 94 women offenders in San Diego County, California, who participated in four drug court programs. Women were randomized to gender-responsive (GR) programs using Helping Women Recover and Beyond Trauma or standard mixed-gender treatment. Data were collected at program entry, during treatment, and approximately 22 months after treatment entry. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results showed that GR participants had better in-treatment performance, more positive perceptions related to their treatment experience, and trends indicating reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology. Both groups improved in their self-reported psychological well-being and reported reductions in drug use (p < .06) and arrest (a diagnosis of PTSD was the primary predictor of reductions in rearrest, p < .04). Findings show some beneficial effects of adding treatment components oriented toward women's needs. Significant questions remain, particularly around PTSD and whether it should be targeted to improve substance use outcomes for women.

Federal …, 2010

... UCLA. (Sub Award No. 07-002647.) We thank Jordana Hemberg for research support and Crystal Fa... more ... UCLA. (Sub Award No. 07-002647.) We thank Jordana Hemberg for research support and Crystal Faulconer for data collection. We also thank the study participants for sharing their experiences with us. back to top References ...

A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred ov... more A number of advances in the provision of services to substance abusing offenders have occurred over the past two decades. Efforts to deliver drug treatment in diverse criminal justice settings have taken numerous forms, including prison-and jail-based therapeutic communities, drug courts, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) programs, and various initiatives incorporating substance abuse treatment within correctional programming (eg, boot camps, day reporting centers, reentry programs). ...

Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation, 2015

Substance abuse is a major public health concern that impacts not just the user but also the user... more Substance abuse is a major public health concern that impacts not just the user but also the user's family. The effect that parental substance abuse has on children has been given substantial attention over the years. Findings from the literature suggest that children of substance-abusing parents have a high risk of developing physical and mental health and behavioral problems. A number of intervention programs have been developed for parents who have a substance abuse problem. There have also been a number of interventions that have been developed for children who have at least one parent with a substance abuse problem. However, it remains unclear how we can best mitigate the negative effects that parental substance abuse has on children due to the scarcity of evaluations that utilize rigorous methodologies such as experimental designs. The purpose of this study is to review randomized controlled trials of intervention programs targeting parents with substance abuse problems and/or children with at least one parent with a substance abuse problem in order to identify programs that show some promise in improving the behavioral and mental health outcomes of children affected by parental substance abuse. Four randomized controlled trials that met our eligibility criteria were identified using major literature search engines. The findings from this review suggest that interventions that focus on improving parenting practices and family functioning may be effective in reducing problems in children affected by parental substance abuse. However, further research utilizing rigorous methodologies are needed in order to identify other successful interventions that can improve the outcomes of these children long after the intervention has ended.