A family-oriented therapy program for youths with substance abuse: long-term outcomes related to relapse and academic or social status

作者：Wang Liang Jen^*; Lu Shing Fang; Chong Mian Yoon; Chou Wen Jiun; Hsieh Yu Lian; Tsai Tung ning; Chen Ching; Lee Yi Hsuan

来源：Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2016, 12: 699-706.

DOI：10.2147/NDT.S105199

• substance abuse
• psychotherapy
• family
• juvenile delinquency
• longitudinal study

Objective: The abuse of illegal substances by youths in Taiwan has become a major public health issue. This study explores the outcomes (relapse rate and academic or social status) of a family-oriented therapy program conducted for substance-using youths who were referred by a judge to participate in it.
Methods: The present study includes 121 participants categorized into three groups: 36 youths underwent a weekly ten-session outpatient motivational enhancement psychotherapy (MEP) group program; 41 youths participated in a program that combined the aforementioned MEP program with an additional weekly ten-session parenting skill training (PST) program for their guardians (MEP + PST group); and 44 adolescents who received standard supervision by the court served as the control group. All participants were followed-up for a maximum of 2 years.
Results: Of the 121 participants (mean age: 16.1 +/- 1.1 years), 33.1% relapsed into substance use during the follow-up period. The probability of relapse did not differ significantly between the MEP group (36.1%) and the control group (40.9%), but the youths in the MEP + PST group (22.0%) were at a lower risk of relapse than the control group participants (adjusted hazard ratio=0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.21-1.09). By the end of the study follow-up period, participants in both the MEP group and the MEP + PST group were more likely to be attending school (MEP group: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 6.61, 95% CI = 1.60-27.35; MEP + PST group: aOR = 8.57, 95% CI = 1.94-37.82) or employed (MEP group: aOR = 7.75, 95% CI=1.95-30.75; MEP + PST group: aOR = 7.27, 95% CI = 1.76-29.97), when compared to the control group.
Conclusion: This study revealed that a family-oriented treatment approach may be a more effective option for preventing youths' relapsing into substance abuse. In comparison to individuals who received standard supervision by the court, those who received MEP experienced a better school attendance or social outcome over the follow-up period.

• 出版日期2016
• 单位长春大学