Family- and community-based treatments

Abstract Comprehensive treatment models are needed to address the complex social–ecological factors that contribute to the development of serious disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) in youth. This chapter reviews five family- and community-based treatment models that have demonstrated positive clinical effects with such disorders in controlled research studies: Multisystemic therapy (MST), treatment foster care Oregon, functional family therapy, brief strategic family therapy, multidimensional family therapy. Herein, we describe each treatment model; discuss the similarities and differences in theoretical, empirical, and clinical foundations of these models as a group, with a case example of MST to provide illustration; and identify important areas for future research including mediators and moderators of treatment effects, economic analysis, and dissemination, and implementation science. We conclude that emphasis on the evaluation and dissemination of family- and community-based treatment models is critical to reducing the personal, social, and financial consequences of serious DBDs in youth.