title: A cross-sectional assessment of the long term effects of brief strategic family therapy for adolescent substance use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Young adult drug use and law-breaking behaviors often have roots in adolescence. These behaviors are predicted by early drug use, parental substance use disorders, and disrupted and conflict-ridden family environments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine long-term outcomes of Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in the rates of drug use, number of arrests and externalizing behaviors in young adults who were randomized into treatment conditions as adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  261 of 480 adolescents who had been randomized to BSFT or TAU in the BSFT effectiveness study were assessed at a single time, 3-7 years post randomization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessments of drug use, externalizing behaviors, arrests and incarcerations were conducted using Timeline Follow Back, Adult Self Report, and self-report, respectively. Drug use, arrests and incarcerations were examined using negative binomial models and externalizing behaviors were examined using linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared with TAU, BSFT youth reported lower incidence of lifetime (IRR = 0.68, 95%CI [0.57, 0.81]) and past year (IRR = 0.54, 95%CI [0.40, 0.71]) arrests; lower rates of lifetime (IRR = 0.63, 95%CI [0.49, 0.81]) and past year (IRR = 0.70, 95%CI [0.53, 0.92]) incarcerations; and lower scores on externalizing behaviors at follow-up (B = -0.42, SE = .15, p = .005). There were no differences in drug use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BSFT may have long term effects in reducing the number of arrests, incarcerations and externalizing problems. These effects could be explained by the improvements in family functioning that occurred during the effectiveness study. This study contributes to the literature by reporting on the long term outcomes of family therapy for adolescent drug abuse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Viviana E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Horigian
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Feaster
authors.affiliation: Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, Oregon.|Functional Family Therapy, LLC, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Ahnalee M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brincks
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ucha
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rohrbaugh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Varda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shoham
authors.affiliation: Tarzana Treatment Services, Tarzana, California.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bachrach
authors.affiliation: The Village Inc, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: A Kathleen
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Burlew
authors.affiliation: Gateway Community Services Inc, Jacksonville, Florida.
authors.forename: Candace C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hodgkins
authors.affiliation: IRESA, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Ibis S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Carrion
authors.affiliation: Arapahoe House, Denver, Colorado.
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.affiliation: Daymark Recovery Services Inc, Salisbury, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Werstlein
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szapocznik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D057566:Self Report; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*