The Efficacy of Brief Strategic Family Therapy in Modifying Hispanic Adolescent Behavior Problems and Substance Use

• NCJ Number: 306989
• Journal: Journal of Family Psychology Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 121-33
• Date Published: 2003
• Author(s): Daniel A. Santisteban; J. Douglas Coatsworth; Angel Perez-Vidal; William M. Kurtines; Seth J. Schwartz; Arthur Laperriere; Jose Szapocznik
• Length: 13 pages

Annotation

This study investigating the efficacy of brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) with Hispanic behavior problem and drug using youth found that, compared to group treatment control (GC) cases, BSFT cases showed significantly greater pre- to post-intervention improvement in parent reports of adolescent conduct problems and delinquency, adolescent reports of marijuana use, and observer ratings and self-reports of family functioning.

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) with Hispanic behavior problem and drug using youth, an underrepresented population in the family therapy research literature. Results showed that, compared to group treatment control (GC) cases, BSFT cases showed significantly greater pre- to post-intervention improvement in parent reports of adolescent conduct problems and delinquency, adolescent reports of marijuana use, and observer ratings and self-reports of family functioning. One hundred twenty-six Hispanic families with a behavior problem adolescent were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: BSFT or group treatment control (GC). These results extend prior findings on the efficacy of family interventions to a difficult to treat Hispanic adolescent sample. (Published Abstract Provided)