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Model Program

Brief Strategic Family Therapy

Family Therapy Training Institute of Miami
1221 Brickell Ave.
Miami, FL 33131
http://www.bsft-av.com

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Contact Information:
Olga E. Hervis, L.C.S.W.
Director
888.527.3828
ohervis@bsft-av.com

Program Specification:

Emphasis:

Gender:

Rating:

Prevention
Intervention

Both

Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness

Age/Grade Level:

Target Settings:

Target Groups:

Elementary
Middle School
High School

Inner City

Individuals

Ethnicity:

Other Participation Criteria:

African-American
Hispanic

Description:

Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) adopts a structural family systems framework to improve children and adolescent behavior problems by improving family interactions that are presumed to be directly related to the child's symptoms. BSFT is a short-term, problem-focused, family-based intervention with an emphasis on modifying maladaptive patterns of interactions. Therapy is based upon the assumption that each family has unique characteristics that emerge when family members interact, and that this family "system" influences all members of the family, thus the family is viewed as a whole organism. The repetitive interactions, or ways in which family members interact and behave with regard to one another can be either successful or unsuccessful. BSFT targets these interaction patterns that are directly related to the youth's behavior problems and establishes a practical plan to help the family develop more effective patterns of interaction.

Program Descriptors Include:
Attendance/Truancy, Behavior Management/Discipline, Family/Parental Involvement, Substance Abuse, Life Skills Training

Starting Date: Unspecified
Students Served Per Year: Unspecified
Last Verified: 2010

Risk Factors:

Protective Factors:

Program addresses the following:

Individual factors

  • Has a learning disability or emotional disturbance
  • High-risk peer group
  • High-risk social behavior
  • Misbehavior

Community factors

  • Family composition/socioeconomic status
  • Youth social attitudes

Program promotes the following:

Relationships

  • Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults
  • Clear social norms

Competence

  • Social competencies

Creativity

  • Problem-solving skills

Optimism

  • High expectations by community, family, school, and self

Program Resources:

Annual Cost:

Unspecified

Funding Sources Include:

Program Staff Includes:

Unspecified

Counselors
Social Workers

Materials Used:

Supporting / Partner Organizations:

Unspecified

Unspecified

Evaluation Information:

Three studies tested the efficacy of BSFT in increasing family participation in therapy in randomized trials in several diverse communities. While adolescents in comparison groups showed no significant changes, BSFT adolescents showed reduced association with antisocial peers, reduced substance use, particularly marijuana, and reduced acting-out behavioral problems.

How evaluation data was collected:
Data collected and analyzed at state or organizational level