NCJ Number
196014
Journal
Juvenile Correctional Mental Health Report Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: March/April 2002 Pages: 33-34,40-41,46
Date Published
2002
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article presents an overview of Multisystemic Therapy (MST), an intensive family-based and community-based treatment approach that has successfully treated juvenile delinquents and youth who have exhibited serious emotional disturbance.
Abstract
An underlying premise of MST is that treatments for serious antisocial behavior should be based on the known determinants and correlates of such behavior. Studies to date have shown that antisocial behavior is multi-determined and associated with important characteristics of the individual youth, family relations, peer relations, school functioning, and neighborhood. The success of MST across several rigorously controlled evaluations has been predicated on four defining features that are uncommon in traditional treatment approaches. These features include targeting the known correlates of antisocial behavior; providing a comprehensive quality assurance system; using evidence-based interventions; and viewing the caregiver as the key to long-term success. MST has reduced long-term rates of rearrests of chronic and serious delinquents by 25-70 percent across several studies with delinquent populations, and it has reduced out-of-home placements by 47-64 percent. In context, these results are impressive, given that serious antisocial behavior in youth has been extremely difficult to treat. 2 tables and 19 references