Multidimensional family therapy for adolescent drug abuse: results of a randomized clinical trial.
Random assignment was made of 182 clinically referred marijuana- and alcohol-abusing adolescents to one of three treatments: multidimensional family therapy (MDFT), adolescent group therapy (AGT), and multifamily educational intervention (MEI). Each treatment represented a different theory base and treatment format. All treatments were based on a manual and were delivered on a once-a-week outpatient basis. The therapists were experienced community clinicians trained to model-specific competence prior to the study and then supervised throughout the clinical trial. A theory-based multimodal assessment strategy measured symptom changes and prosocial functioning at intake, termination, and 6 and 12 months following termination. Results indicate improvement among youths in all three treatments, with MDFT showing superior improvement overall. MDFT participants also demonstrated change at the 1-year follow-up period in the important prosocial factors of school/academic performance and family functioning as measured by behavioral ratings. Results support the efficacy of MDFT, a relatively short-term, multicomponent, multitarget, family-based intervention in significantly reducing adolescent drug abuse and facilitating adaptive and protective developmental processes.
Liddle
H A
HA
Center for Treatment Research on Adolescent Drug Abuse, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33136, USA. hliddle@med.miami.edu
Dakof
G A
GA
Parker
K
K
Diamond
G S
GS
Barrett
K
K
Tejeda
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010379:Peer Group; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome