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Multisystemic Therapy for Conduct Problems in Youth

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Clinical Handbook of Assessing and Treating Conduct Problems in Youth

Abstract

Multisystemic Therapy (MST; Henggeler, Schoenwald, Borduin, Rowland, & Cunningham, 1998, 2009) is a comprehensive family- and community-based treatment for youth with serious conduct problems who are at imminent risk of out-of-home placement (e.g., detention, incarceration, residential treatment). The effectiveness of MST has been established with chronic and violent juvenile delinquents and substance abusing youth. Adapted versions of the MST model have also been successfully applied to youth with other clinical problems, such as problem sexual behavior, psychiatric disturbance, and pediatric chronic illness. This chapter outlines the theoretical and empirical foundations of MST and provides a brief overview of the MST treatment model. A case example is used to illustrate the clinical aspects of the MST approach. The remainder of the chapter summarizes the growing evidence base for MST established through efficacy, effectiveness, and transportability trials.

Portions of this chapter were published previously in Evidence-Based Psychotheropies for Children and Adolescents, Second Edition, edited by J.R. Weisz and A.E. Kazdin (2010), New york: Guilford Press. We greatly appreciate the permission from Guilford Press to reprint this material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA

    Cindy M. Schaeffer, Michael R. McCart, Scott W. Henggeler & Phillippe B. Cunningham

Authors
  1. Cindy M. Schaeffer
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  2. Michael R. McCart
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  3. Scott W. Henggeler
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  4. Phillippe B. Cunningham
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal North Shore Hospital, Health Psychology Unit, University of Technology Sydney, St. Leonards, Sydney, 2065, New South Wales, Australia

    Rachael C. Murrihy

  2. Royal North Shore Hospital, Health Psychology Unit, University of Technology Sydney, St. Leonards, Sydney, 2065, New South Wales, Australia

    Antony D. Kidman

  3. Child Study Center, Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24060, Virginia, USA

    Thomas H. Ollendick

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Schaeffer, C.M., McCart, M.R., Henggeler, S.W., Cunningham, P.B. (2011). Multisystemic Therapy for Conduct Problems in Youth. In: Murrihy, R., Kidman, A., Ollendick, T. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Assessing and Treating Conduct Problems in Youth. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6297-3_11

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