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Safety first! Residential group climate and antisocial behavior : a multilevel meta-analysis

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Abstract
A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis was performed (28 studies and 313 effect sizes) on the relation between residential group climate (i.e., safety, atmosphere, repression, support, growth, structure) and antisocial behavior, including aggression and criminal recidivism. A systematic search was conducted in PsychINFO, ERIC, and OVID Medline up to February 2023. Results showed a small but significant association (r = .20) between residential group climate and antisocial behavior, equivalent to a 23% reduction of antisocial behavior in all clients receiving care in a residential facility with a therapeutic group climate. Moderator analyses showed that experienced safety was more strongly related to antisocial behavior (r = .30) than the other dimensions of group climate (.17 < r < .20), while the effect size was somewhat larger for adults (r = .24) than for youth (r = .15). We conclude that residential facilities should consider safety as a priority and should involve clients in a positive process of change through the development of a therapeutic environment and delivery of evidence-based treatment, addressing their needs from the perspective of rehabilitation.
Keywords
antisocial behavior, group climate, residential facility, meta-analysis, aggression, recidivism, youth, adult, LIVING GROUP CLIMATE, INSTITUTIONAL YOUTH CARE, SOCIAL CLIMATE, PROCEDURAL JUSTICE, MENTAL-HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS, DETAINED, ADOLESCENTS, TREATMENT MOTIVATION, AGGRESSIVE-BEHAVIOR, CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY

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MLA
E. M. A, Eltink, et al. “Safety First! Residential Group Climate and Antisocial Behavior : A Multilevel Meta-Analysis.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY, vol. 69, no. 12, 2025, pp. 1663–87, doi:10.1177/0306624x241252052.
APA
E. M. A, E., J. J, R., G. H. P, V. der H., E. J. E, H., C. H. Z, K., K. S, N., … M, A. (2025). Safety first! Residential group climate and antisocial behavior : a multilevel meta-analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY, 69(12), 1663–1687. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624x241252052
Chicago author-date
E. M. A, Eltink, Roest J. J, Van der Helm G. H. P, Heynen E. J. E, Kuiper C. H. Z, Nijhof K. S, Stijn Vandevelde, et al. 2025. “Safety First! Residential Group Climate and Antisocial Behavior : A Multilevel Meta-Analysis.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 69 (12): 1663–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624x241252052.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
E. M. A, Eltink, Roest J. J, Van der Helm G. H. P, Heynen E. J. E, Kuiper C. H. Z, Nijhof K. S, Stijn Vandevelde, Leipoldt J. D, Stams G. J. J. M, Knorth E, Harder A.T, and Assink M. 2025. “Safety First! Residential Group Climate and Antisocial Behavior : A Multilevel Meta-Analysis.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 69 (12): 1663–1687. doi:10.1177/0306624x241252052.
Vancouver
1.
E. M. A E, J. J R, G. H. P V der H, E. J. E H, C. H. Z K, K. S N, et al. Safety first! Residential group climate and antisocial behavior : a multilevel meta-analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY. 2025;69(12):1663–87.
IEEE
[1]
E. E. M. A et al., “Safety first! Residential group climate and antisocial behavior : a multilevel meta-analysis,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY, vol. 69, no. 12, pp. 1663–1687, 2025.
@article{01J0VC6F7EDEYT0SFJ3W5KM3P5,
  abstract     = {{A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis was performed (28 studies and 313 effect sizes) on the relation between residential group climate (i.e., safety, atmosphere, repression, support, growth, structure) and antisocial behavior, including aggression and criminal recidivism. A systematic search was conducted in PsychINFO, ERIC, and OVID Medline up to February 2023. Results showed a small but significant association (r = .20) between residential group climate and antisocial behavior, equivalent to a 23% reduction of antisocial behavior in all clients receiving care in a residential facility with a therapeutic group climate. Moderator analyses showed that experienced safety was more strongly related to antisocial behavior (r = .30) than the other dimensions of group climate (.17 < r < .20), while the effect size was somewhat larger for adults (r = .24) than for youth (r = .15). We conclude that residential facilities should consider safety as a priority and should involve clients in a positive process of change through the development of a therapeutic environment and delivery of evidence-based treatment, addressing their needs from the perspective of rehabilitation.}},
  author       = {{E. M. A, Eltink and J. J, Roest and G. H. P, Van der Helm and E. J. E, Heynen and C. H. Z, Kuiper and K. S, Nijhof and Vandevelde, Stijn and J. D, Leipoldt and G. J. J. M, Stams and E, Knorth and A.T, Harder and M, Assink}},
  issn         = {{0306-624X}},
  journal      = {{INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY}},
  keywords     = {{antisocial behavior,group climate,residential facility,meta-analysis,aggression,recidivism,youth,adult,LIVING GROUP CLIMATE,INSTITUTIONAL YOUTH CARE,SOCIAL CLIMATE,PROCEDURAL JUSTICE,MENTAL-HEALTH,DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS,DETAINED,ADOLESCENTS,TREATMENT MOTIVATION,AGGRESSIVE-BEHAVIOR,CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1663--1687}},
  title        = {{Safety first! Residential group climate and antisocial behavior : a multilevel meta-analysis}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1177/0306624x241252052}},
  volume       = {{69}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

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