TY - JOUR
T1 - Brief strategic family therapy versus treatment as usual
T2 - Results of a multisite randomized trial for substance using adolescents
AU - Robbins, Michael S.
AU - Feaster, Daniel J.
AU - Horigian, Viviana E.
AU - Rohrbaugh, Michael
AU - Shoham, Varda
AU - Bachrach, Ken
AU - Miller, Michael
AU - Burlew, Kathleen A.
AU - Hodgkins, Candy
AU - Carrion, Ibis
AU - Vandermark, Nancy
AU - Schindler, Eric
AU - Werstlein, Robert
AU - Szapocznik, José
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - Objective: To determine the effectiveness of brief strategic family therapy (BSFT; an evidence-based family therapy) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) as provided in community-based adolescent outpatient drug abuse programs. Method: A randomized effectiveness trial in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network compared BSFT to TAU with a multiethnic sample of adolescents (213 Hispanic, 148 White, and 110 Black) referred for drug abuse treatment at 8 community treatment agencies nationwide. Randomization encompassed both adolescents' families (n = 480) and the agency therapists (n = 49) who provided either TAU or BSFT services. The primary outcome was adolescent drug use, assessed monthly via adolescent self-report and urinalysis for up to 1 year post randomization. Secondary outcomes included treatment engagement (≥2 sessions), retention (≥8 sessions), and participants' reports of family functioning 4, 8, and 12 months following randomization. Results: No overall differences between conditions were observed in the trajectories of self-reports of adolescent drug use. However, the median number of days of self-reported drug use was significantly higher, χ 2(1) = 5.40, p <.02, in TAU (Mdn = 3.5, interquartile range [IQR] = 11) than BSFT (Mdn = 2, IQR = 9) at the final observation point. BSFT was significantly more effective than TAU in engaging, χ 2(1) = 11.33, p <.001, and retaining, χ 2(1) = 5.66, p <.02, family members in treatment and in improving parent reports of family functioning, χ 2(2) = 9.10, p <.011. Conclusions: We discuss challenges in treatment implementation in community settings and provide recommendations for further research.
AB - Objective: To determine the effectiveness of brief strategic family therapy (BSFT; an evidence-based family therapy) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) as provided in community-based adolescent outpatient drug abuse programs. Method: A randomized effectiveness trial in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network compared BSFT to TAU with a multiethnic sample of adolescents (213 Hispanic, 148 White, and 110 Black) referred for drug abuse treatment at 8 community treatment agencies nationwide. Randomization encompassed both adolescents' families (n = 480) and the agency therapists (n = 49) who provided either TAU or BSFT services. The primary outcome was adolescent drug use, assessed monthly via adolescent self-report and urinalysis for up to 1 year post randomization. Secondary outcomes included treatment engagement (≥2 sessions), retention (≥8 sessions), and participants' reports of family functioning 4, 8, and 12 months following randomization. Results: No overall differences between conditions were observed in the trajectories of self-reports of adolescent drug use. However, the median number of days of self-reported drug use was significantly higher, χ 2(1) = 5.40, p <.02, in TAU (Mdn = 3.5, interquartile range [IQR] = 11) than BSFT (Mdn = 2, IQR = 9) at the final observation point. BSFT was significantly more effective than TAU in engaging, χ 2(1) = 11.33, p <.001, and retaining, χ 2(1) = 5.66, p <.02, family members in treatment and in improving parent reports of family functioning, χ 2(2) = 9.10, p <.011. Conclusions: We discuss challenges in treatment implementation in community settings and provide recommendations for further research.
KW - adolescent substance abuse
KW - community-based treatment
KW - effectiveness research
KW - family therapy
KW - treatment as usual
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U2 - 10.1037/a0025477
DO - 10.1037/a0025477
M3 - Article
C2 - 21967492
AN - SCOPUS:82955239968
VL - 79
SP - 713
EP - 727
JO - Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
JF - Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
SN - 0022-006X
IS - 6
ER -