A Randomized Controlled Trial of ACT-P Versus T4C for Community Reentry

Launched by IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY · Oct 27, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This trial is testing two programs to help men leave prison and stay out of trouble: ACT-P (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for prisons) and T4C (Thinking for Change). In a randomized setup, participants are assigned by chance to receive either ACT-P or T4C in parallel groups. The main goal is to see which program more effectively reduces criminal activity after release, by looking at rearrests, new convictions, and reincarcerations over the next 3 years. The study is for adult men who are currently in prison, are considered medium or high risk of reoffending, and are eligible for cognitive therapy; men who are court-mandated to participate are not eligible.

About 400 participants are planned, enrolled by invitation, and the study is taking place at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Fort Dodge, Iowa. ACT-P includes five modules plus ongoing “Big Picture” sessions, focusing on values, awareness, and behavior change, while T4C focuses on changing criminal thinking through cognitive-behavioral techniques. After release, researchers will follow participants for up to 3 years to track whether they are rearrested, reconvicted, or reincarcerated. No results are available yet, and the project is expected to run through 2026.

Gender

MALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • deemed medium or high risk according to the Iowa Risk Revised
• • eligible and appropriate for cognitive programming as determined by normal operating procedures
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • court-mandated to either program