Adolescent Mental Health: Prevention and intervention (Adolescence and Society) by Terje Ogden & Kristine Amlund Hagen

Author:Terje Ogden & Kristine Amlund Hagen [Ogden, Terje]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781134668663
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2013-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

Concluding comments

In asking which treatment models or programs produce positive or promising clinical outcomes, the best answer we can give at this point is that treatment works better than no treatment, and that family-based approaches should be prioritized. Which theoretical basis of promising treatments one should go with is probably a bit more complicated to answer. Several theories are relevant to the development of effective treatment models of drug abuse. The theoretical components include social and interpersonal variables, cultural and attitudinal variables and last, but not least, personal variables. Multi-theoretical and integrative foundation of drug treatment programs seem to be superior. Separately and in combination, the theories presented in this chapter may help explain how the complex interactions between individual and environmental risk factors drive substance abuse. The same theories are also helpful in the process of developing prevention and treatment programs. Family-, school- and community-based treatments typically take on an ecological or multisystemic perspective on youth and family. Additionally, the therapists working with these programs aim at engaging the whole family in the treatment process by joining the family perspective and emphasizing the importance of increased cohesion, monitoring and social control of the youth. Across theories, family therapy approaches to drug use have similar goals to: a) utilize the support and leverage for the family to reduce the individual’s drug use and implement other important lifestyle changes and b) alter problematic aspects of the family environment to maintain positive changes in the individual and in other family members to promote long-term recovery (Fals-Stewart, Lam & Kelley, 2009; Rowe, 2012).

Calix and Fine (2009) summarize, in their review, that treatment should engage not only the adolescent but the whole family. Second, rather than dealing with the past the therapy should have a present- and problem-focused approach based on family interactions that take place during and between therapy sessions. Third, the therapy should have a multisystemic orientation, aiming to change the system or the ecology in which the youth and the family is embedded. The reason for this approach is that an adolescent’s drug problems often are maintained by factors in the family’s social network which in turn influence the behavior of the youth and the family members.

Family-based models for adolescent drug abuse may impact other problems as well, because they address underlying risk factors that are common to related problem behaviors (Rowe, 2012). An updated meta-analysis summarized results from 24 studies which compared evidence-based treatment programs to relevant alternatives (Baldwin et al., 2012). Results indicated that the four family therapies (BSFT, FFT, MDFT and MST) had statistically significant, but modest effects as compared to “treatment as usual” or to alternative therapies. Few attempts at comparing empirically based programs were identified, so their effectiveness relative to each other could not be determined. In a recent review of family therapy for drug use, Rowe (2012) concludes:

The overarching conclusion is that family-based models are not only a viable treatment alternative for the treatment of drug abuse, but are now consistently recognized among the most effective approaches for treating both adults and adolescents with drug problems.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.