Evaluability assessment and development of psychological and behavioral health approaches to prevent terrorism and facilitate reintegration of violent extremists.

The proposed research is an evaluability assessment of two types of behavioral therapies (cognitive and dialectical) as promising interventions in the reintegration of violent extremist offenders. The sequential analysis will be applied on a sample of 20 pairs of practitioners and clients using these interventions. The assessment will seek to answer 1) How specific psychological and behavioral health approaches - commonly used in prevention and reintegration efforts for violent extremists – can be further developed and evaluated to determine their effectiveness; and 2) What types of practitioners, professional figures, and trainers are necessary for effective implementation of cognitive and behavioral approaches for violent extremists? Project activities will include interviews (n=50), training, and surveys designed to achieve consensus on the therapeutic efforts and monitor the effectiveness of such interventions. This project builds off a currently funded NIJ study (2019-ZA-CX-0001), in which over 40 interviews were conducted with federal-level probation officers, state-level probation officers, and nonprofit–based practitioners (social workers, psychologists, and former extremists) to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each professional role as it relates to prevention and reintegration efforts. The purpose of these interviews was to understand the case management process, interventions provided, and experience in managing the cases in order to identify promising practices for a multitude of ideologies: white supremacists, jihadis, and sovereign citizens.  "Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law," and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR  200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF