This randomized controlled study tests an innovative juvenile diversion model that integrates evidence-based family therapy.Immediate and longer term effects of the family intervention will be compared to Services As Usual with 120 adolescents participating in Miami-Dade's Civil Citation Program.
This study proposes to rigorously test the innovative Civil Citation Program (CCP)with an integrated evidence-based family intervention, Multidimensional Family Therapy\[MDFT\](Liddle, 2002). The study sample includes youth referred to the CCP throughout Miami-Dade county and who according to CCP screening are rated as high risk for re-offending. Youth are 12-17 years old with a first or second misdemeanor charge (excluding any gang, violence, or sex crimes charge). Nearly all (97%) of these youth are ethnic minorities (Hispanic and African American). They are at risk for school failure, substance use, and chronic delinquency due to drug availability in their communities, poor family functioning, peer drug use/delinquency, and school failure / disengagement. 120 youth who enter the Civil Citation Program and are eligible for the study will be assigned to one of the two interventions: CCP+SAU or the experimental intervention, CCP+MDFT. The study asks a classical services research question(Compton et al, 2005) - does the addition of a family therapy intervention, multidimensional family therapy, into an existing diversion program significantly enhance the program outcomes in key outcome domains: recidivism, substance use, delinquency, school and family functioning.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
120
Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT; Liddle, 2002) is one of a new generation of multi-systems oriented family-based intervention for adolescent substance abuse and delinquency. It has demonstrated considerable success with juvenile justice youth at various stages of their involvement in the justice system. The model has demonstrated efficacy in reducing substance use and delinquency, increasing the prosocial behaviors (e.g., family functioning, school outcomes) of substance abusing and court involved adolescents.
Services As Usual community partners will provide individualized mental health counseling and psychiatric services, psychoeducational groups and substance abuse counseling.
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Miami, Florida, United States
Delinquency
Youth in CCP+MDFT will show less delinquency from intake to 9 months than youth in CCP+SAU. National Youth Survey Self-Report Delinquency Scale (SRD)will be used to assess delinquency.
Time frame: Intake through 9-month follow-up
Recidivism
Juvenile justice arrest records recoding total arrests, total misdemeanor arrests, and total felony arrests for youth 6 months prior to baseline through 24 months after baseline.
Time frame: 6 months prior to arrest that got youth in the CCP through 24 months after the baseline assessment
Substance Use
Youth in CCP+MDFT will report less substance use from intake to 9 months than CCP+SAU. The Timeline Follow-Back Method, Personal Experiences Inventory and Urinalyses will be used to measure substance use.
Time frame: Intake through the 9-month follow-up
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