Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT)
Problems addressed
Drug abuse
Low educational/academic performance
Effectiveness

Effective

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Effective

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Life periods served
Children (4 to 13 years)
Teenagers (14 to 17 years)
Adults (18 to 59 years)
Where the program was applied
Community (streets or community centers)
Ambulatory - Health service centers
Country of application
United States
Description

This is a drug prevention program for adolescents aged 11 to 18 based on the cooperation of their families.
Trained therapists conduct individualized work with the teenager, their parents and/or other family members. Sessions can take place from one to three times a week and are usually run for a period of four to six months. The therapists work as a team, and an assistant carries out interventions in the community.
The sessions take place in the family’s home, in a clinic, or in community locations in collaboration with the young people. Other versions of the program can be implemented in juvenile justice settings, including prisons, detention centers, day treatment programs, and residential treatment centers.

Impact evaluations

Impact evaluation studies have shown that the program had a statistically significant effect in terms of reducing drug abuse [1] [2] [3] and a tendency to report greater abstinence from drugs and alcohol [3], as well as a considerable improvement in school performance [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Liddle, H. A., Dakof, G. A., Parker, K., Diamond, G. S., Barrett, K., & Tejeda, M. (2001). Multidimensional family therapy for adolescent drug abuse: Results of a randomized clinical trial. The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 27(4), 651-688. https://doi.org/10.1081/ada-100107661

[2] Liddle, H. A., Dakof, G. A., Turner, R. M., Henderson, C. E., & Greenbaum, P. E. (2008). Treating adolescent drug abuse: A randomized trial comparing multidimensional family therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. Addiction, 103(10), 1660-1670. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02274.x

[3] Liddle, H. A., Rowe, C. L., Dakof, G. A., Henderson, C. E., & Greenbaum, P. E. (2009). Multidimensional family therapy for young adolescent substance abuse: twelve-month outcomes of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 77(1), 12. 12–25. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014160

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