Research Review: The effectiveness of multidimensional family therapy in treating adolescents with multiple behavior problems – a meta‐analysis

Pol, Thimo M. van der; Hoeve, Machteld; Noom, Marc; Stams, Geert Jan; Doreleijers, Theo A. H.; Domburgh, Lieke van; Vermeiren, Robert

doi:10.1111/jcpp.12685

Cited by 75 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…On the other hand, self-report may invite respondents to also report criminal offences that went unnoticed to police and justice authorities. Database crime records may be more objective, but are often far from complete [ 23 ]. In the studies cited, the effect of treatment on delinquency was assessed from adolescents’ self-report of criminal offences committed, with exception of Dakof et al [ 19 ], who collected crime data from registries to complement the self-reports from the studied participants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional family therapy in adolescents with a cannabis use disorder: long-term effects on delinquency in a randomized controlled trial

Pol

Hendriks

Rigter

et al. 2018

Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health

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BackgroundSubstance use and delinquency are considered to be mutual risk factors. Previous studies have shown that multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) is effective in tackling both conditions on the short term. The current study examines the long-term effects of MDFT on criminal offending.Methods109 adolescents with cannabis use disorder and comorbid problem behavior were randomly assigned to either MDFT or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Police arrest data were collected for 6 years: 3 years prior to and 3 years after treatment entry. Using survival analysis and repeated measure General Linear Models (rmGLM), the two treatment groups were compared on number of arrests, type of offence, and severity of offence. Moderator analyses looking at age, disruptive behavior disorders, history of crimes, family functioning, and (severe) cannabis use were conducted (rmGLM).ResultsWhile police arrest rates increased in the 3 years before treatment, the rates decreased substantially after the start of both treatments. No differences were found between the treatment groups with respect to either time to first offence from the start of the treatment or changes in frequency or severity of offending over time. A treatment effect trend favoring MDFT was found for property offending in the subgroup of adolescents with high baseline-severity of cannabis use.ConclusionsAcross a follow-up period of 3 years, MDFT and CBT were similarly effective in reducing delinquency in adolescents with a cannabis use disorder.Trial registration ISRCTN51014277, Registered 17 March 2010—Retrospectively registered, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN51014277

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidimensional family therapy in adolescents with a cannabis use disorder: long-term effects on delinquency in a randomized controlled trial

Pol

Hendriks

Rigter

et al. 2018

Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health

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“…Several independently conducted meta‐analyses (Baldwin, Christian, Berkeljon, & Shadish, ; Tripodi, Bender, Litschge, & Vaughn, ; Van der Pol et al., in press; Vaughn & Howard, ; Waldron & Turner, ) and reviews taking into account study quality (e.g., Becker & Curry, ; Filges, Andersen, & Jorgensen, ) support the capacity of MDFT to significantly reduce youth substance use and a range of other significant problems typically co‐occurring with clinically referred youth. In a review that compared RCT outcomes of five evidence‐supported family‐based therapies for youth substance abuse, Austin, Macgowan, and Wagner () reported large effect sizes (1.28–1.66) for MDFT, as well as comparatively superior outcomes in family functioning and substance use reductions that retained at 1‐year follow‐up.…”

Section: The Mdft Evidence Basementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A consistent outcome of MDFT studies is the program's significant and stable effectiveness with high severity, multiply impaired (comorbidity, see Rowe, ) youth who were clinically referred from diverse treatment settings and sectors of care (mental health, substance abuse, juvenile justice and child welfare) (Hawkins, ; Henderson et al., ; Hendriks, van der Schee, & Blanken, ; Hendriks et al., ; Liddle et al., , in press; Rigter et al., ; Schaub et al., ; see the three‐level meta‐analysis by Van der Pol et al., in press).…”

Section: The Mdft Evidence Basementioning

confidence: 99%

“…State of the science family therapies routinely improve upon the engagement and retention rates found in standard clinical practice (Boustani, Henderson, & Liddle, ). As noted in comprehensive reviews (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Registry of Evidence‐based Programs and Practices, ) and evaluations (Van der Pol et al., in press), MDFT has ranged from 73% to over 90% engagement, retention, and treatment completion of youth and parents, and in community‐based MDFT programs, clinicians engage and retain over 80% of youth and families in treatment.…”

Section: The Mdft Evidence Basementioning

confidence: 99%

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Multidimensional Family Therapy: Evidence Base for Transdiagnostic Treatment Outcomes, Change Mechanisms, and Implementation in Community Settings

Liddle

2016

Family Process

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This article summarizes the 30+-year evidence base of Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), a comprehensive treatment for youth substance abuse and antisocial behaviors. Findings from four types of MDFT studies are discussed: hybrid efficacy/effectiveness randomized controlled trials, therapy process studies, cost analyses, and implementation trials. This research has evaluated various versions of MDFT. These studies have systematically tested adaptations of MDFT for diverse treatment settings in different care sectors (mental health, substance abuse, juvenile justice, and child welfare), as well as adaptations according to treatment delivery features and client impairment level, including adolescents presenting with multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Many published scientific reviews, including meta-analyses, national and international government publications, and evidence-based treatment registries, offer consistent conclusions about the clinical effectiveness of MDFT compared with standard services as well as active treatments. The diverse and continuing MDFT research, the favorable, multi-source independent evaluations, combined with the documented receptivity of youth, parents, community-based clinicians and administrators, and national and international MDFT training programs (U.S.-based organization is MDFT International, www.mdft.org; and Europe-based organization is www.mdft.nl) all support the potential for continued transfer of MDFT to real-world clinical settings.

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“…Family-centered approaches were shown to decrease youth recidivism [ 13 , 24 ]. A recent meta-analysis has shown that adolescents with severe behavior problems benefit more from family therapy compared to their peers with less severe behavior problems [ 49 ]. Notwithstanding the evidence, there is a lack of active and positive parental involvement in the juvenile justice system [ 35 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A program of family-centered care for adolescents in short-term stay groups of juvenile justice institutions

Simons

Mulder

Breuk

et al. 2017

Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health

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BackgroundTo provide successful treatment to detained adolescents, staff in juvenile justice institutions need to work in family-centered ways. As juvenile justice institutions struggled to involve parents in their child’s treatment, we developed a program for family-centered care.MethodsThe program was developed in close collaboration with staff from the two juvenile justice institutions participating in the Dutch Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth. To achieve an attainable program, we chose a bottom-up approach in which ideas for family-centered care were detailed and discussed by workgroups consisting of group leaders, family therapists, psychologists, other staff, researchers, and a parent.ResultsThe family-centered care program distinguishes four categories of parental participation: (a) informing parents, (b) parents meeting their child, (c) parents meeting staff, and (d) parents taking part in the treatment program. Additionally, the family-centered care program includes the option to start family therapy during detention of the youths, to be continued after discharge from the juvenile justice institutions. Training and coaching of staff are core components of the family-centered care program.ConclusionsThe combination of training and the identification of attainable ways for staff to promote parental involvement makes the family-centered care program valuable for practice. Because the program builds on suggestions from previous research and on the theoretical background of evidence-based family therapies, it has potential to improve care for detained adolescents and their parents. Further research is required to confirm if this assumption is correct.

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Research Review: The effectiveness of multidimensional family therapy in treating adolescents with multiple behavior problems – a meta‐analysis

Abstract: 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.

Cited by 75 publications

References 69 publications

Multidimensional family therapy in adolescents with a cannabis use disorder: long-term effects on delinquency in a randomized controlled trial

Multidimensional family therapy in adolescents with a cannabis use disorder: long-term effects on delinquency in a randomized controlled trial

Multidimensional Family Therapy: Evidence Base for Transdiagnostic Treatment Outcomes, Change Mechanisms, and Implementation in Community Settings

A program of family-centered care for adolescents in short-term stay groups of juvenile justice institutions

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