Aggression Replacement Training® (ART)

Program Type and Risk Level: / Intervention program for low, moderate, and high-risk youth.
Developed by: / Arnold P. Goldstein, Ph.D., Barry Glick, Ph.D., and John C. Gibbs Ph.D.
Website: /
Program Information: / Aggression Replacement Training® is a cognitive behavioral intervention program to help children and adolescents improve social skill competence and moral reasoning, better manage anger, and reduce aggressive behavior.
Population: / The program specifically targets chronically aggressive children and adolescents ages 12-17.
Return on Investment: / Return on Investment $11.09 for youth in state institutions and $8.57 for youth on probation.[1]
Program Overview: / The program consists of 10 weeks (30 sessions) of intervention training, and is divided into three components—social skills training, anger-control training, and training in moral reasoning. Clients attend a one-hour session in each of these components each week. Incremental learning, reinforcement techniques, and guided group discussions enhance skill acquisition and reinforce the lessons in the curriculum.
Proven Research Outcomes: / When competently delivered, ART has positiveoutcomes with estimated reductions in 18 month felony recidivism of up to 24 percent. [2]
Training: / Training consists of two day for initial facilitator training and a one day boostertraining.

Pennsylvania Youth Survey Risk and Protective Factors Addressed by ART

Risk Factors Reduced / Protective Factors Increased
Family Domain:
  • Family History of Antisocial Behavior
  • Parental Attitudes Favorable to Antisocial Behavior
  • Family Conflict
/ Family Domain:
  • Family Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement

School Domain:
  • Disruptive School/Classroom Behavior
/ School Domain:
  • School Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement

Peer-IndividualDomain:
  • Rebelliousness
  • Attitudes Favorable to Anti-social Behavior
  • Interaction with Antisocial Peers
/ Peer-Individual Domain:
  • Belief in the Moral Order (Moral Reasoning)

Community Domain:
  • Community Opportunities for Prosocial Involvement

Criminogenic Needs Addressed by ART: Intervention
YLS Risk Domain / How does this program prevent delinquent behavior?
Family Circumstances/ Parenting / While the program does not directly involve parents, during the ART training, program staff are encouraged to engage parents in the program and helping them understand the components of the program.
Education/Vocation/ Employment / ART can reduce problem classroom behaviors by teaching social skills and appropriate ways to control anger.
Peer Relations / ART can increase pro-social interactions with peers by teaching social skills and appropriate ways to control anger.
Substance Abuse / While ART was not developed to specifically to address Substance Abuse issues, it can provide Social Skills training in the areas of “Dealing with Group Pressure’ and “Responding to Persuasion”
Leisure/Recreation / While ART was not developed to specifically to promote Recreational activities, it can provide Social Skills training in the areas of “Deciding on Something to Do” and “Being a Good Sport”.
Personality/Behavior / ART expressly teaches Anger Control techniques and Social Skills to reduce risk of Physical Aggression, Poor Frustration Tolerance, Verbal Aggression, and Inadequate Guilt Feelings.
Attitudes/Orientation / ART expressly teaches Anger Control techniques and Social Skills to reduce risk of Not Seeking Help, Actively Rejecting Help, and Callousness.
Program Effectiveness Ratings
Rating Organization / Rating
Crime Solutions / Effective - More than one study
California Clearinghouse / Rating of 3, Promising Research Evidence

Resources

  • To find out more about ART in PA, including training structure, costs, outcomes, and fidelity monitoring details, go to:
  • Find out where ART providers funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency are located in PA:
  • To start an ART program in your area, contact your local prevention coalition. Access an interactive map of PA prevention coalitions at:

[1]Washington State Institute for Public Policy Benefit-Cost Results.(n.d.).Retrieved October 2, 2014.

[2]"Outcome Evaluation of Washington State's Resesarch-based Programs for Juvenile Offenders." Washington State Institute For Public Policy. N.p., Jan. 2004. Web. Oct. 2014. <