Development of strategies to improve rehabilitation programmes for violent behaviour youth in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Youth is a period that exposes young individuals to high-risk behaviours due to its overwhelming changes and challenges. Violent behaviour amongst the youth is regarded as a significant public health problem associated with severe physical and psychological consequences. Despite the availability of rehabilitation programmes rendered at the child and youth care centers (CYCC's), there is an escalation and repetition of violent behaviours among the youth due to some underlying socio-economic factors. Therefore, the study was conducted at CYCC's in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Aim: This study aimed to develop strategies to improve rehabilitation programmes for violent behaviour youth in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The specific objectives were to explore and describe the factors contributing to violent youth behaviours; to explore and describe the perceptions of parents/guardians on contributory factors to violent youth behaviours; and to explore and describe the views of a multidisciplinary team on youth rehabilitation programmes. Methods: This study adopted the multiphase methods consisting of 3 phases: A systematic literature review, the empirical data and the development of strategies. A systematic literature review was used as phase one of this study to identify and describe the intervention strategies to promote rehabilitation programmes for youth with violent behaviours, guided by Rodger’s evolutionary concept analysis framework. The empirical data was employed as phase two of this study. A qualitative research design that was exploratory and descriptive was used through the collection of rich narrative data. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to sample 71 study participants with 48 youth aged 14-20 years, 13 multidisciplinary team members, and 10 parents/guardians of the youth at CYCC's. Data was collected through in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) among the youth. Five FGDs comprising 5-8 members were conducted, and the number of FGDs was determined by data saturation. In-depth individual interviews were conducted as a follow-up to participants who committed serious crimes such as rape and murder, and data saturation occurred after interviewing eight participants. Among the 13 multidisciplinary team members and ten parents/guardians, data was also collected through in-depth individual interviews until data saturation was reached. Data was analysed through thematic content analysis. Ethical principles and measures to ensure trustworthiness were considered throughout the study. Development of strategies to improve rehabilitation programmes for violent behaviour youth in the Limpopo Province was used as phase three of this study. The six elements of the practice-oriented theory by Dickoff, James, and Wiedenbach (1968) were applied to interfaced findings from phase two. The developed strategies were validated by applying the Delphi technique to experts and Key stakeholders’ consultation through administering a checklist in organized workshops. Results: Data collected from this study among the youth revealed that various socio-economic factors contributed to their violent behaviours. The multidisciplinary team highlighted the factors that prevent the positive outcomes of youth rehabilitation programmes and the suggestions on mitigating those risk factors. The parents/guardians also stated that there were contributory factors towards violent youth behaviours, and the suggestions aimed at overcoming the factors were outlined. Furthermore, five strategies were developed to improve youth rehabilitation programmes namely, emphasizing parental-child attachment, communication, support, guidance, and education, provides education amongst the youth on the impact and management of violence behaviours, develops rehabilitation programmes specifically for all the categories of youth within the CYCC's, prevents substance misuse and the influence of delinquent peers and strengthening the rehabilitation programmes aimed for reintegration and aftercare services. Lesser adjustments were proposed by the experts on one strategy and agreed with the other four strategies. Most of the key stakeholders (97%) endorsed the proposed strategies. Therefore, the developed strategies were refined and presented as per the indications of the considered individuals and validated as well. Conclusion: Violence amongst the youth is a significant public health problem that usually contributes to the premature death of thousands of young adults each year. Youths’ behaviours are structured by what they experience daily. Thus, rehabilitation of young offenders should be a cornerstone in every society. It was observed that the CYCC's in the Limpopo Province offered educational, vocational programmes, counseling, and psychosocial services to the youth displaying violent behaviors. Rehabilitation programmes for youth displaying violent behaviors will be effective and have better outcomes by considering the risk factors and minimizing gangsterism and media violence involvement. The parents/guardians of the youth displaying violent behaviours in CYCC's in the Limpopo Province are overwhelmed by the deviant behaviours displayed by these young individuals. Violent behaviours amongst the youth can be prevented if parents/guardians understand the relevance of monitoring their children’s life activities and make the extra effort of being involved in their children’s academic studies. Parents/guardians need to ensure that the family rules apply to everyone in the household, and they should always strive to be the best parents/guardians towards their children. Most of the developed programmes have targeted rehabilitating young people on behaviour therapy and preventing re-offending. Still, they lack the strategies to address the factors preventing the positive outcomes of those youth rehabilitation programmes. Therefore, the developed strategies towards violent behaviour amongst the youth need to be piloted and implemented in CYCC's and monitored and be evaluated in terms of their progress in the Limpopo Province. Implementing these developed strategies must be expanded to other Provinces of South Africa if they yield positive results in violent behaviours amongst the youth.