Short-term behavioral intervention with delinquent families: Impact on family process and recidivism.

Abstract

Based on prior family interaction studies and a systems conceptualization of deviant behavior, a specific, short-term behaviorally oriented family intervention program designed to increase family reciprocity, clarity of communication, and contingency contracting was developed for delinquent teenagers. The results indicated that 46 families receiving the program demonstrated significant changes in three family interaction measures at the end of therapy, and also significantly reduced recidivism rates at follow-up when compared to 30 families receiving alternate forms of family therapy and a total of 52 families receiving no professional treatment. The stud)' emphasized the utility of a therapy evaluation philosophy that includes a clear description of intervention techniques, a description of expected process changes, stringent nonrcactive outcome measures, and controls for maturation and attention placebo.

Guidelines for clinicians considering family therapy research

“…Most clinicians will agree that the evaluation of their work is important, but most of us are too busy practising or too caught up in developing new ideas to do this systematically, though there have been notable exceptions (Santa Barbara et al, 1978;Alexander and Parsons, 1973). On the other hand many family researchers have done their work in nontherapy conditions and it is difficult to apply this work to therapy (Lewis et al, 1976;Riskin and Faunce, 1970).…”

Psychosocial Treatment of Children in Foster Care: A Review

“…Behavioral family intervention was superior to either standard psychodynamic therapy, client-centered therapy, or no treatment (Alexander & Parsons, 1973;Bernal, Klinnert, & Schultz, 1980;Firestone, Kelly, & Fike, 1980;Wiltz & Patterson, 1974). CBT interventions that focus on specific cognitive processes underlying conduct problems have also shown good results (Kazdin, 2000).…”

Bringing Functional Family Probation Services to the Community: A Qualitative Case Study

“…Therefore, programs that address these risk and protective factors aid in reducing recidivism and increasing family functioning (Alexander et al, 1998;Sexton, 2011). To address and decrease family relational factors that are related to juvenile delinquency Alexander and Parsons (1973) developed Functional Family Therapy (FFT). Alexander and Parsons (1973) developed FFT to target populations that range from at-risk adolescents to youth with very serious problems such as conduct disorder, violent acting-out, and substance abuse.…”

“…To address and decrease family relational factors that are related to juvenile delinquency Alexander and Parsons (1973) developed Functional Family Therapy (FFT). Alexander and Parsons (1973) developed FFT to target populations that range from at-risk adolescents to youth with very serious problems such as conduct disorder, violent acting-out, and substance abuse. FFT is conducted as a phase-driven, behaviorally oriented family program that targets medium to high-risk youth on probation ages 10 to 18 with severe behavior problems and chronic delinquency.…”

“…Because Oregon was moving toward evidence-based practices, JSD leadership began searching for rehabilitative models based on evidence-based principles that would reduce recidivism and better serve the county"s youth and families. Many evidence-based rehabilitative programs designed to serve juvenile delinquents and their families are family-based interventions, such as FFT and Multisystemic Therapy (MST) (Alexander & Parsons, 1973;Gordon, Graves, & Arbuthnot, 1995;Huey, Henggeler, Brondino, & Pickrel, 2000;2003, Sexton, 2011.…”