Variables impacting youth length of stay in residential treatment

The current study assessed the influence of age at admission, number of previous placements, distance from county of commitment, and type of discharge, on length of stay in a residential treatment center. These variables were selected for research due to their theoretical underpinning in Attachment Theory. Youth placed at the selected residential facility at a young age, who had a high number of previous placements, or who lived more than two hours from their county of commitment were hypothesized to require a longer length of stay to obtain a successful discharge. Furthermore, youth receiving treatment at the facility for longer than 15 months were hypothesized to experience an unsuccessful discharge. None of the hypotheses were confirmed, as no variables were associated with length of stay. Additional statistical analyses revealed a low number of previous placements as well as being placed at a facility within two hours of the county of commitment were associated with successful discharges. Furthermore, older youth were more likely to experience a high number of previous placements. The findings of this study indicate the appropriateness of residential facilities as a treatment setting. Findings also point to the importance of considering client characteristics in the provision of treatment.