NCJ Number
223258
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: 2008 Pages: 111-125
Date Published
2008
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the evaluation of a nationwide project to implement multisystemic therapy (MST) as a treatment method in Sweden.
Abstract
The evaluation found that community-based social workers and their supervisors who participated in the project were positive toward the MST research project, felt adequately informed, and indicated that the pace of implementation was appropriate. On the other hand, the respondents generally felt uninvolved in the decision about whether to implement the MST program. Social workers were provided with information, but not decisionmaking authority. Supervisors felt more involved in the decision to implement MST in the district and municipality compared to the social workers. This finding is consistent with the top-down design of the project. Supervisors and social workers generally supported the implementation of MST as a family and home-based treatment mode, expressed a positive attitude toward evidence-based research, and reported a positive attitude toward treating youth with behavioral problems and supporting their parents and the community. A comparative analysis, however, shows that supervisors showed greater preference for MST and evidence-based research than social workers. This poses the risk that supervisors may overestimate social workers' readiness to adopt and commit to the research project and MST as a treatment method. This issue is currently being examined. Participants in the project included 179 social workers and 34 supervisors across 4 participating Swedish communities. After participation in the project, they were questioned about attitudes toward the implementation of MST, MST as a treatment method, evidence-based research in general, and community family-based services. 4 tables and 19 references