Brief structural/strategic family therapy with African and Hispanic high-risk youth

Abstract

Brief Strategic/Structural Family Therapy was implemented as an indicated prevention intervention to reduce the likelihood that African American and Hispanic youth initiated drug use. The intervention was designed to impact two important risk factors for initiation, namely behavior problems and poor family functioning. One hundred twenty‐two youth, 12–14 years of age and exhibiting behavior problems, were assigned within a basic one‐group pretest/posttest/follow‐up design. The first important finding was that the prevention intervention was effective in significantly modifying both high‐risk factors, reducing behavior problems [F(2, 120) × 32.92; p < .000] and improving family functioning [F(1, 121) × 41.8; p < .000]. A second important finding was that both high‐risk variables targeted were statistically significant predictors of initiation nine months later. A third important finding was that for a small subset of youth who entered the program already using, overall use was significantly decreased [t(22) × 2.11, p < .05]. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Promoting Healthy Outcomes Among Youth with Multiple Risks: Innovative Approaches

“…Similar to FFT and MST, BSFT aims to change family-interaction patterns by using planned, strategic, and problem-focused interventions. Efficacy studies show that youth receiving BSFT had lower posttreatment levels of marijuana use and delinquency and improved parent reports of family functioning than did those in a control group (116, 117). However, results for substance use have been mixed (112).…”

Enhancing Sexual Desire and Intimacy via the Metaphor of a Problem Child: Utilizing Structural-Strategic Family Therapy

“…Structural/strategic family therapy is popularly cited as a successful mode of treatment for childhood and adolescent behavioral problems (Liddle, 1999;Santisteban et al, 1998;Szapocnik & Williams, 2000). This modality is employed when a parent or parents present with difficulties with one or more of their children and the family is the unit of treatment.…”

Brief Strategic Family Therapy: Implementing evidence-based models in community settings

“…In fact, Santisteban and colleagues (1997) found that BSFT treatment significantly reduced associations with antisocial peers and improved family functioning for both Hispanics and African Americans. However, BSFT treatment was significantly more efficacious in reducing association with antisocial peers among African Americans than among Hispanics, whereas it was significantly more efficacious in improving family functioning among Hispanics than among African Americans.…”