Measurement of Change in Dynamic Factors Using the START: AV

ABSTRACT

Historical approaches to violence risk assessment emphasized prediction of future violence and focused on static or historical risk factors. Consideration of dynamic factors as part of a comprehensive violence risk assessment approach may allow practitioners to better tailor treatment and risk management strategies. Limited research exists on whether risk assessment instruments can detect change in dynamic factors over time. The Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START:AV) is a relatively new risk assessment instrument that considers both Vulnerabilities and Strengths on factors that are purportedly dynamic in nature. This study examined changes in START:AV factors between initial and follow-up assessments conducted approximately three months later as part of a pilot implementation at three juvenile justice residential facilities in a Southern state. Overall, findings revealed significant item-level changes on several factors, as well as reliable changes in total scores for 28% (reliable change index; 95% confidence interval) of adolescents.

KEYWORDS:

• Dynamic items
• protective factors
• risk assessment
• START:AV
• structured professional judgment

Funding

Funding for this project came from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (P30DA028807, PI: Roger H. Peters). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. This research was also supported by an internal research grant from Eastern Michigan University.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this project came from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (P30DA028807, PI: Roger H. Peters). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. This research was also supported by an internal research grant from Eastern Michigan University.