Risk Assessment in Habitual Offenders With Substance Use Problems: A Quasi-Prospective Study of the Predictive Validity of the HKT-30.

The predictive validity of the Dutch risk assessment instrument HKT-30 was investigated with a quasi-prospective design in a sample of habitual offenders with a substance use disorder (SUD). The study is reported according to RAGEE guidelines. The HKT-30 is an extension of the HCR-20. Files of 89 patients were coded and recidivism data were requested from the Ministry of Justice. Total scale scores and scores of the Clinical and Future scales were significantly predictive of recidivism for 1 and 2 years of time at risk, respectively. In contrast to earlier studies into recidivism, the H-scale had no predictive value. Regression analysis showed that the Clinical and Future scales contributed to the explanation of variance in recidivism, but not independently from each other. The conclusion is that the HKT-30 is a useful instrument for discovering risk factors and predicting recidivism for the population of habitual offenders with an SUD.

Treatment motivation: An attempt for clarification of an ambiguous concept.

Although the concept of treatment motivation is generally regarded as highly relevant, it has since long been surrounded by conceptual confusion, resulting in miscommunication, ambiguous measures, and contradictory conclusions of research. This article provides an analysis of three major sources of confusion in the conceptualization of treatment motivation: (a) negligence of the concepts' intrinsic relationship with behavior, (b) entanglement of the concept with its determining factors and behavioral consequences, and (c) conceptualization in a stage model. Following the conceptual analysis, causes of the problems and implications for clinical praxis and research are considered. Finally, a more adequate conceptualization of treatment motivation is proposed and suggestions for future research are made.