Family Therapy Parent Groups: Effects on Adolescent Drug Abusers

• NCJ Number: 136167
• Journal: American Journal of Family Therapy Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1989) Pages: 335-347
• Author(s): A S Friedman
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 5 R18 DA3184
• Sponsoring Agency: University of Haifa
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program Description (Demonstrative)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Outcomes for adolescent drug abusers were compared using a functional family therapy and a parent group method.

Abstract

Families of adolescent drug abusers admitted to six outpatient, drug-free treatment programs were randomly assigned to either method. In 93 percent of the family therapy families, one or both parents participated in the program; in 67 percent of the families in the parent group only one or both parents participated. Under these conditions, a parent group procedure was demonstrated to be as effective as the functional family therapy in reducing drug abuse and in behavior and attitude modification in adolescent drug abusers. Considerable improvement was noted at a 15-month followup evaluation for both groups according to the clients' reports and the mothers' reports. Out of the 65 outcome criteria evaluated, 56 and 58 significant positive changes from pretreatment to followup were reported in the parent and family therapy groups, respectively. Improvements included a reduction of adolescents' drug use by more than 50 percent, a decrease in adolescent psychic symptomology, a decrease in adolescent negative family role task behavior, an increase in positive behavior within the family, and an improvement in adolescent communication between mother and father. 4 tables and 17 references.