Purpose: This overview of reviews analyses the existing evidence base of functional family therapy (FFT), which is a manualized, family-based intervention for youth with behavioral problems and their families. FFT has been implemented among youth aged 10–18 at risk of, or presenting with, behavioral problems such as delinquency, violence, substance abuse, sexual perpetration, and truancy. Method: A multipronged search was conducted across 15 databases, 10 websites, and expert contacts in February 2018. Results: The search yielded 159 hits of which 31 were included and critically appraised. Included reviews were published between 1986 and 2018 and the number of included studies ranged from 1 to 18 (including 20–5,344 participants). Main effects of the intervention on core outcomes (recidivism and substance abuse) were modest and out-of-home placement was not reported. Secondary outcomes were also modest but generally positive. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that overall quality of reviews is low, which makes any certainties about FFT inconclusive; this overview provides a concise, valid, and methodologically sound synthesis of the research into FFT, which requires more rigorous investigation.
This analysis of functional family therapy (FFT) studies examines whether their variable outcomes are attributable to implementation issues. Studies were identified firstly, by way of a recent overview, supplemented by an update of a highly sensitive search including 15 databases, 10 websites, all existing relevant reviews, gray literature as well as contacting experts in the field. Updated searches were conducted in August 2018 and were analyzed according to the Oxford Implementation Index and an assessment of supervision quality. In total, the search yielded 150 records; 48 full texts were retrieved of which 32 were excluded leaving 16 studies containing 5,320 unique participants included for analysis. There was no evidence of reported harm. Improved training and supervision were associated with better core outcomes. Although there was no apparent dose relationship, it appears that implementation issues are important and also that class and ethnicity were identified for areas of further study.
A response to the critique of where social work research currently stands, as put forth by Garrow and Hasenfeld, and their position that social work research should be undertaken from a feminist perspective. It is important to remember the origins and foundation of feminist thought and to approach research and practice with a full understanding of what both empiricist epistemology and feminist standpoint epistemology actually means. Maintaining a balanced perspective and recognizing the value in varied approaches to scientific inquiry will keep the field of social work moving toward its ultimate goal of reducing the plight of marginalized and oppressed peoples. Social work research and practice has always claimed itself to be committed to furthering social justice and equality and to building a society with a minimum of human suffering. In order to remain focused on these goals, perhaps a shift in perspective is necessary.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.