Developmental audit as assessment tool for vulnerable youth

¶ … Developmental Audit (DA) provides an alternative assessment beyond traditional standardized tests and psychiatric diagnosis. It explores a young person's motivations, beliefs, and behaviors within the ecological context of family, school, peer group, and community (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). This paper seeks to determine the intricacies as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the DA and how to effectively employ the DA regarding vulnerable youth. The keys to discerning the perceptions and experiences of the young person and those who know this individual best include a number of variables provided from a number and variety of resources. The DA is used in a number of different settings and according to Brendtro et al. (2012) those settings can include schools, treatment centers and juvenile outreach programs, and of course, in the courts. Brendtro surmises that the DA is not just an information gathering tool, but that it can also be used to develop growth plans "for resilient life outcomes" (p. 7). Freado and Bath (2014) state that the Developmental Audit is designed as a specific acknowledgement that the young people who are participating in the DA face some very serious challenges. Many of these young boys and girls can be affected with serious emotional and conduct disorders, and face such issues as depression and anxiety.

Application

The application of the DA can be relevant in a number of arenas as discussed above, but it can be especially useful in the therapeutic environment, especially concerning families and youthful offenders who might not have the wherewithal to address violent or misbehaving youth. By using the DA to discover the underlying, or root causes for the behavior, the therapist or technician will have some idea as to how to approach the youth involved within a developmental setting. As Freado et al. (2014) suggests that the DA is not only designed to acknowledge the challenges life presents for these young people, but that it is oftentimes use in mental health and social service settings "as a format for treatment planning and case evaluation" (p. 21).

Applying the DA

As stated above, the DA is a beneficial tool in a number of different settings; especially in the courts and treatment arenas. Implementing the DA in a therapeutic setting allows the therapist to address the root causes in a very individualized manner. This is beneficial because no two children are alike, no two circumstances are exactly the same, and oftentimes the best results come about when the focus of an intervention allows the therapist leeway to use a variety of treatment methods to address the core issues.

Limitation

The limitation of this article is that it takes a very biased view; the authors are proponents of the DA and it is evident throughout the article that the authors (for the most part) use the DA in an ongoing and consistent manner. The authors, however, do not present any views of the DA that are negative in scope, it would be interesting to determine if there are any negativities as compared to other interventions or methods of gathering data and prescribing treatments. Perhaps the DA is the best tool available based upon its usage and acceptance, but that does not preclude any negative aspects of the DA.

Conclusion

The article finds that "justice approaches focusing on the nature of the crime but ignoring childhood and adolescent experiences shows little promise of effectiveness" (p. 25).

The article also finds that by using the DA, the courts and those individuals involved in the court system are far more likely to progress to a more stable life and environment if the core issues being suffered by the individual youth can be addressed. The article touts the fact that the DA is the most effective manner by which those core issues can be discovered, and that the DA can then assist treatments and other interventions to achieve their maximum potential effects. The article surmises that a child experiencing a healthy development will develop expanding skills in learning, planning, self-control and attention, and that the DA assists in that healthy development in a most comprehensive manner.