Brief strategic family therapy (BSFT) may have beneficial long-term effects in reducing the number of arrests, incarcerations and externalizing problems in young adults, according to a study of 480 adolescents.

The goal of BSFT is to change the patterns of family interactions that allow or encourage problematic adolescent behavior. The changes are thought to last after treatment has ended, because multiple family members have changed the way they behave with each other.

Participants were randomized to BSFT (n=261) or usual care (n=219), and assessed 3 to 7 years later.

BSFT youth had a lower incidence of lifetime (0.69) and past year (0.54) arrests, and lifetime (0.63) and past year (0.70) incarcerations. They also had lower scores on externalizing behaviors. Investigators saw no differences in drug use.

The authors suggested that improvements in family functioning due to BSFT contributed to the results.

Citation: Horigian V, Feaster D, Robbins M, et al. A cross-sectional assessment of the long term effects of brief strategic family therapy for adolescent substance use. Am J Addict. 2015;24(7):637-645.