title: Contributions of Therapist Characteristics and Stability to Intensive In-home Therapy Youth Outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the influence of therapist and youth characteristics on post-discharge outcomes from intensive in-home therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 1,416 youth and 412 therapists were obtained from a behavioral health services provider. The Huber-White method was used to account for nested data; ordered logistic regression was employed to assess outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Therapist gender and employment stability were significantly associated with youth outcomes. The likelihood of an undesirable outcome was significantly less for cases with female therapists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings underscore the need for additional study concerning the impact of therapist characteristics and stability on youth outcomes, and to improve the understanding of the relationship between the two. Future studies in these areas would advance social work practice in family-based treatment programs.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Johanna K P
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Greeson
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Shenyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Maryland.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: Youth Villages, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.affiliation: Youth Villages, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Jocelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sisson
keywords: family therapy; in-home therapy; multisystemic therapy; outcomes; therapist characteristics; youth characteristics