A preliminary evaluation of reasoning and rehabilitation 2 in mentally disordered offenders (RR2M) across two secure forensic settings in the United Kingdom

Reasoning and Rehabilitation for Mentally Disordered Offenders (RR2M) is a revision of the RR cognitive skills training programme, tailored to the needs of mentally disordered offenders. The study aimed to determine whether RR2M is feasible to run and effective in treating patients in high and medium secure settings. Seventy patients were referred, of whom 58 were allocated to the commencement of RR2M and 12 were waiting-list controls. When invited to attend the group, 11 refused at the outset. Thirteen did not commence the programme (nine for reasons outside of their personal control) giving a non-start rate of 22.4%. Thirty-four patients started the programme and 22 completed it giving a completion rate of 64.7%. Completers demonstrated significantly greater post-group improvements in self-rated attitudes towards violence. Primary nurses rated a significant decrease in disruptive behaviour. The findings suggest that RR2M is both feasible and useful to run in forensic mental health settings.