Implementing Evidence-Based Multiple-Family Groups with Adolescent Substance Abusers

Abstract

Agencies that provide adolescent drug treatment services have reported increased demand to treat multiple families in groups. However, little attention has been paid to the challenges associated with implementing multiple-family group interventions for adolescent substance abusers. To address this gap in the literature, the authors discuss the implementation of multiple-family groups embedded within a promising multimodal intervention called Strengths-Oriented Family Therapy (SOFT). We provide a brief description of the system of care within which the SOFT multiple-family groups were developed and outline the process of implementation. The authors discuss challenges they faced implementing multiple-family groups in their partnership with a not-for-profit agency using Gotham's (2006) conceptual framework for the transfer of evidence-based models into community practice. The challenges included meeting state licensure standards, providing services in rural areas, supervising the multiple-family groups, and addressing therapist's concerns and assumptions about the model. The authors conclude with practical recommendations for others that are developing or implementing multifamily groups as adolescent substance abuse treatment models.

KEYWORDS:

• drug abuse
• group psychotherapy
• family therapy
• adolescents
• multiple family groups

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The development of this article was supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA: CSAT TI13354). Dr. Smith is now Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work, University of Illinois. Dr. Hall is now Dean of The University of Alabama School of Social Work.

Notes

1. Simpson (2002) also defined a stage called “adoption,” during which decisions are made about whether to use an intervention. In our context, agreements between researchers and the community not-for-profit agency about trying new interventions were made prior to implementation efforts when we collaborated on writing the grant supporting these services. Nevertheless, therapist commitment to the model (and adoption) was facilitated by enlisting their help in developing sessions, as previously described.