Utilizing Family Strengths and Resilience: Integrative Family and Systems Treatment with Children and Adolescents with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Abstract

Community mental health agencies are consistently challenged to provide realistic and effective home-based family-centered treatment that meets local needs and can realistically fit within available budget and resource capabilities. Integrated Family and Systems Treatment (I-FAST) is developed based on existing evidence-based approaches for working with at-risk children, adolescents, and families and a strengths perspective. I-FAST identified 3 evidence-based, core treatment components and integrated them into a coherent treatment protocol; this is done in a way that builds on and is integrated with mental health agencies' existing expertise in home-based treatment. This is an intervention development study in which we conducted an initial feasibility trial of I-FAST for treating families with children at risk of out-of-home placement. The outcomes of the study provide initial empirical evidence that supports the effectiveness of I-FAST. Findings indicate that there were significant improvements in child behavior, significant increases in parental competency, and significant increases in the level of cohesion and adaptability in these families. All observed changes were significant from pre- to posttreatment with the families able to maintain these positive changes at 6-month follow-up. A more rigorous and robust research design, however, will be needed to establish definitive evidence of the effectiveness of I-FAST.

Resiliencia Familiar: un enfoque de investigación e intervención con familias multiproblemáticas

“…asimismo, el diseño e implementación de nuevos modelos de apoyo e intervención familiar y comunitaria, especialmente frente a familias multiproblemáticas y en riesgo social (gómez & Cifuentes, 2010;Kotliarenco et al, 2009;landau, 2007, 2010lee et al, 2009;Sousa, 2008) requieren potenciar progresivamente el uso de las herramientas que este enfoque ofrece.…”

Reframing and Redefining Family Therapy: Ubuntu Perspective

“…Previous studies on family therapy reveal that family problems can either be child-focused, adult focused or can cut across all ages (Lee, Greene, Hsu, Solovey, Grove, Fraser, Washburn & Teater, 2009). Engelbrecht and Kasiram (2012) argue that in multicultural countries like South Africa, applying Western or European models of therapy to African clients has a tendency of resulting in conflict.…”

The effects of a video designed to empower parents to find the time to complete their child's speech and language homework.

“…Having family-centered or family involved home-based care for clients is supported by Gance-Cleveland (2005), Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, & Brissie (1987), Lee, et al (2009), andStec (2008). Encouraging the parents to solve the problems and having guidance from professionals is supported by GanceCleveland (2005), Lee, et al (2009), andYaruss, Coleman, &Hammer (2006).…”

“…Encouraging the parents to solve the problems and having guidance from professionals is supported by GanceCleveland (2005), Lee, et al (2009), andYaruss, Coleman, &Hammer (2006). Motivational interviewing is an idea which came about after healthcare professionals saw that children's progression towards goals was hindered when parents did not follow their recommendations (Gance-Cleveland, 2005).…”

“…home-based treatment program, which is used by the mental health field, created based on research evidence in order to treat families at risk for their child being removed from the home for treatment purposes (Lee, Greene, Hsu, Solovey, Grove, Fraser, Washburn, & Teater, 2009). The I-FAST has some general assumptions about their clientele.…”