Brief report: piloting the Positive Life Changes (PLC) program for at-risk adolescents.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to pilot the Positive Life Changes (PLC) program, a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral intervention for at-risk adolescents that aims to promote social competencies and to prevent aggression. The program was piloted in 4 intervention groups with a sample of 31 self-referred adolescents (M age 15.64) attending an alternative high school. Questionnaires at pretest and 6-week posttest included five social competencies that represent an expansion of social information-processing (SIP) skills, a measure of aggressive behavior, and a new measure of aggression propensity. Three-level hierarchical linear models showed increases in three social competencies and reductions in physical and verbal aggression propensity from pretest to posttest. Number of program sessions attended did not moderate pretest-posttest change. Findings are discussed in the context of program implementation and future research in school and community settings.