title: Research Review: The effectiveness of multidimensional family therapy in treating adolescents with multiple behavior problems - a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) is a well-established treatment for adolescents showing both substance abuse and/or antisocial behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effectiveness of MDFT in reducing adolescents' substance abuse, delinquency, externalizing and internalizing psychopathology, and family malfunctioning was examined by means of a (three-level) meta-analysis, summarizing 61 effect sizes from 19 manuscripts (N = 1,488 participants).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with other therapies, the overall effect size of MDFT was significant, albeit small in magnitude (d = 0.24, p < .001), and similar across intervention outcome categories. Moderator analysis revealed that adolescents with high severity problems, including severe substance abuse and disruptive behavior disorder, benefited more from MDFT than adolescents with less severe conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded that MDFT is effective for adolescents with substance abuse, delinquency, and comorbid behavior problems. Subsequently, it is important to match specific characteristics of the adolescents, such as extent of impairment, with MDFT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Curium - Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Thimo M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: van der Pol
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Machteld
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoeve
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Noom
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Geert Jan J M
authors.initials: GJJM
authors.lastname: Stams
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Theo A H
authors.initials: TAH
authors.lastname: Doreleijers
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lieke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Domburgh
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Curium - Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert R J M
authors.initials: RRJM
authors.lastname: Vermeiren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Meta-analysis; addiction; adolescence; delinquency; disruptive behavior