Adolescent Substance Abuse Intervention Series Module Six: Multidimensional Family Therapy

Description:  Multidimensional family therapy is a multi-systemic family-focused treatment described in this manual for experienced family therapists that includes 12 weeks of in-clinic and telephone sessions working with individual adolescents and their families. MDFT is a family-based outpatient treatment developed for clinically referred adolescents with drug and behavioral problems (Liddle,1992). MDFT targets the psychosocial functioning of individual family members, the family members’ relationships, and influential social systems outside the family.

Public Domain Notice: This course uses volume five of the series of treatment manuals produced under the Cannabis Youth Treatment (CYT) Project Cooperative Agreement.  All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA or CSAT. Citation of the source is appreciated. However, this publication may not be reproduced or distributed for a fee without the specific, written authorization from the Office of Communications. The fee you are paying for this course is for the credits only the materials are provided at no charge.

Citation:  Liddle, H.A. Multidimensional Family Therapy for Adolescent Cannabis Users, Cannabis Youth Treatment Series, Volume 5. DHHS Pub. No. 02–3660 Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2002. 

URL: http://www.chestnut.org/li/cyt/products/MDFT_CYT_v5.pdf

CE Credits: 26 (NBCC Hours - 26)

Methods: Pre-test, study guide, posttest and evaluation, internet sources via URLs, Q&A by email.

CE Broker#:  20-328812

Content Areas:  Adolescent issues, Addictions, Helping relationship, Treatment knowledge, Counseling, Classes in a series.

Purpose: This evidence-based course prepares practitioners to utilize the Multidimensional Family Therapy model with substance abusing adolescents. It is useful for professionals providing clinical services and assessment for substance-involved populations.

Target Audience:  Social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, mental health counselors, nurses, employee assistance professionals, addiction professionals, behavioral health technicians, and other allied professionals who may work with these populations.

Overview of the whole series:  Increasingly in substance abuse service delivery, assessment, intervention, and prevention supported by science are being required.  Evidence-based best practices permit increased efficacy, a better utilization of all resources and reduce recidivism.  This seven module series is provided to bring such science-based assessment, prevention, and intervention information to the substance abuse intervention specialist.  The text for this series is the Cannabis Youth Treatment Series:  Volume 1-6. (SAMHSA/CSAT: www.samhsa.gov)   Please note that while the title of the treatment manual series pertains to cannabis abuse and dependency problems we assert that the practices described in these manuals constitute valid best practices for early intervention (prevention), outpatient and intensive outpatient intervention with youth who are abusing alcohol, and other drugs.  Youth who meet dependency criteria for alcohol, opiates, other habit-forming drugs, and cocaine will require a more intense level of care than the models described in this manual.

Module One provides an overview of prevention, assessment, and intervention in adolescent substance abuse prevention, outpatient, and intensive outpatient services.  Module Two presents a five-session model of combined Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.  Module Three presents a supplemental seven-session CBT treatment focusing on coping skills.  Module Four presents the Family Support Network approach.  Module Five describes the Community Reinforcement Approach, and Module Six describes Multidimensional Family Therapy.  Module Six presents the Multidimensional Family Therapy model.  Module Seven is due for release in 2014 entitled Brief Strategic Family Therapy for Adolescent Drug Abuse. Each of these approaches represents the culmination of years of challenging theory and practice to articulate and test models for intervening with youth.  Learners using the entire series will be well equipped to provide early intervention, outpatient, and intensive outpatient services to the substance abusing youth population.