A substantial portion of the data contained in the study pertains to "personal and social functioning", which would certainly entail suicide, and criminal behavior. It is surely at least as relevant to the success rate of AARC to see how many of the grads are dead or in jail, as it is to tell us how many feel that they're doing better in school or work.
"3.3 Personal & Social Functioning
Participation in school and academic performance improved since the time of AARC graduation. Of those currently enrolled in school, 82% reported their attendance was “much improved.” Similarly, much improved school attitudes (87%), school behavior (84%) and school performance (82%) were reported.
Changes in completion of academic goals increased following graduation. High school completion increased from 5.9% prior to AARC to 23.53% since graduation, (Cochran’s Q = 9.00, p < .01). College/university completion increased from 1.2% prior to attending AARC to 9.41% since AARC graduation, (Cochran’s Q = 7.00, p< .01).
Involvement with, and attendance at work was significantly improved following AARC graduation. Prior to AARC, 10.6% of interviewed graduates worked full-time. This increased to 40.0% during AARC program participation, (Cochran’s Q = 20.16, p< .001). There was a significant change in the percentage of respondents that reported being employed at some time prior to AARC (61.2%) and since graduation (100%), (Cochran’s Q = 33.00, p< .001). At the time of the interview, 57.6% were working full-time, 17.6% part-time, 2.4% intermittently part-time, and 22.4% were unemployed. The majority of working participants rated their work behavior (89%), work performance (86%), and work attendance (82%) as “much improved”.
Family relationships improved. Graduates were asked to describe their relationships with their family on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“Very positive”) to 5 (“Very Negative”). Relationships with family were rated more positively for the period since AARC graduation (M = 2.02, SD = .83) compared to the period prior to AARC participation (M = 4.54, SD = .61), (t (84) = 23.32, p < .001).
Place Figure 2 here.
Figure 2 displays the percentages of the sample rating their relationships as “very positive, mostly positive, equally positive/negative, mostly negative, and very negative” for the period prior to the AARC and at the time of the interview. At the time of interview, 84.7% reported either “very” or “mostly positive” family relationships at the time of interview, in comparison with 94.1% who reported “very” or “mostly negative” family relationships prior to AARC.
A significant number of graduates reported a reduction in family conflict since graduation from AARC. Participants were asked to rate the degree of conflict within the family on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“A lot”) to 4 (“none”). The degree of family conflict improved from a mean rating of 1.14 (SD = .41) for the period prior to the AARC to 2.93 (SD = .72) for the period since graduation (t (84) = -20.92, p < .001).
Place Figure 3 here.
This is graphically demonstrated in Figure 3, comparing the period prior to AARC and the time of the interview. At the time of interview 90.6% reported “a little” or “none” conflict, compared with 88.2% that reported a “a lot” of family conflict prior to AARC.
A reduction in involvement with the criminal justice system, as reflected in civil or criminal charges was reported. Prior to attending AARC, 56.5% of respondents reported having been charged with a crime. Since graduation, this figure dropped to 17.6% (Cochran’s Q = 27.92, p < .001), and, at time of interview, 4.7%.
A change in peer relationships was demonstrated as one of the most consistent changes since graduation. Only 3.5% of the sample reported having “mostly” or “very positive” peer relationships in the time prior to AARC. That proportion increased to 92.9% at the time of interview (Cochran’s Q = 64.06, p < .001).
With graduation from AARC, those responding report a significant change in their involvement with recreation activities. The percentage of the sample who reported being “somewhat” or “very” active recreationally increased from the period prior to the AARC (35.3%) to the period since AARC graduation (89.4%) (Cochran’s Q = 39.19, p < .001).
3.4 Self Esteem
The proportion of interviewed graduates rating their self-esteem as “mostly” or “very positive” increased significantly between the period prior to the AARC (1.2%) to the period since AARC graduation (74.1%), Cochran’s Q = 62.00, p < .001.
3.5 Attention Deficit disorder
Symptoms of, and treatment for ADD/ADHD were reported as substantially different following graduation from AARC. Participants were asked to indicate whether they had been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD at different time periods. Among participants, 37.6% reported having been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD prior to AARC, with 27% still meeting the criteria at the time of admission. At the time of interview, 3.5% of clients reported this diagnosis, since completing AARC. Among those diagnosed, 90.6% reported having been prescribed medication for ADD/ADHD prior to AARC attendance. No participants reported being prescribed medication either since AARC graduation or at the time of the interview. Additionally, 73% of those who had been previously diagnosed indicated their symptoms had decreased since graduation.
Youth who entered AARC with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis experienced improvements with family relationships. Specifically, this group rated their family relationships significantly more positively (M = 2.03, SD = .82) for the time period since AARC participation compared to the time period prior (M = 4.59, SD = .50), t (28) = 15.80, p< .001. Ratings of peer relationships also improved for the time period prior to AARC (M = 4.03, SD = .78) to the period since completing the AARC program. (M = 1.93, SD = .75), t (28) = 10.82, p < .001.
For those diagnosed with ADD/ADHD prior to AARC admission, employment increased from 65.52% prior to AARC entry to 100% since AARC graduation (Cochran’s Q = 10.00, p < .01). Prior to attending the AARC, 65.52% of this group reported having been charged with a crime. Since graduation, this figure dropped to 24.14% (Cochran’s Q = 10.29, p < .01). Although the proportion that completed high school increased following completion of the AARC program (6.90% vs 27.59%), the difference was not statistically significant (Cochran’s Q = 3.60, p = .058).
3.6 Mental health.
Participants were asked to indicate whether they had been diagnosed with a mental illness. Among respondents, 32.9% reported having been diagnosed with a mental illness prior to AARC, 4.7% since AARC, and 3.5% at the time of the interview. Of those graduates reporting a mental health diagnosis at the time of treatment entry, 88.5% had been prescribed medication prior to entering the AARC, 3.8% since the AARC, and 0% were prescribed medication at the time of the interview. Of those diagnosed with mental illness, 92.6% indicated their symptoms had decreased since completing treatment at AARC.
Family relationships improved amongst youth who entered AARC with a diagnosis of mental illness. Specifically, this group rated their family relationships significantly more positively (M = 2.21, SD = .93) for the time period since AARC participation compared to the time period prior ((M = 4.79, SD = .42), t (23) = 13.63, p < .001). Ratings of peer relationships also improved for the time period prior to AARC (M = 4.29, SD = .62) to the period since AARC participation (M = 2.00, SD = .89), t (23) = 9.68, p< .001.
3.7 Twelve Step Program Involvement
At AARC, the program is based on Twelve Step participation, and this is reflected in active involvement during, and participation after, graduation from AARC. None of the participants indicated they were “very involved” in Twelve Step programs prior to entering AARC. That proportion increased to 96.5% who rated being “very involved” in a Twelve Step program during the AARC program, Cochran’s Q = 82.00, p < .001. For the time period since AARC, the percentage of graduates who reported being “very involved” in a Twelve Step Program dropped to 52.9% (Cochran’s Q = 33.39, p < .001).
Regardless of the decrease in participation with time after graduation, the majority of graduates acknowledged the usefulness of a Twelve Step program. During AARC treatment, 90.0% of this group rated Twelve Step programs as being “very useful,” (Cochran’s Q = 62.00, p < .001). Among the entire sample, including those with no Twelve Step experience prior to AARC treatment entry, 91.8% rated a Twelve Step program as “very useful” during their treatment at AARC.
3.8 Feedback on the AARC Recovery Process
Graduates were asked to rate the impact of AARC treatment on their lives. The impact was rated as being “very” or “mostly positive” by 95.3%. The majority of graduates (70.6%) stated they were very satisfied with the services they received while attending AARC.
3.9 Interviews of parents
Of the 30 interviewed parents, 90% confirmed the reported sobriety of their child. Amongst the parents of non-respondent clients, 18.2% (2 of 11) reported their son/daughter had been sober at the time of interviews.
The impact participation in AARC had on their son’s/daughter’s alcohol and drug use was rated as “mostly” or “very positive by 96.6% of respondent parents and 81.8% of non-respondent parents.
Similar to the report compiled from the AARC client graduate responses, parental reports confirmed decreases in substance use and improvements in education, employment, family relationships, social relationships, and mental health functioning from the time prior to attending AARC to the time following graduation.
Of interest are the responses of parents to the following two questions. The first question was, “In your own words, please describe how your son’s/daughter’s involvement at AARC has impacted their life.” The second question was, “On a personal note, what has your son’s/daughter’s involvement at AARC meant for you?”
Hopefully you will agree that in trying to play devil's advocate for an institution that has received millions of dollars in taxpayer's money and charitible funds, and has been the subject of at least thirty television and print news reports, you have no problem with outright lying.
