This program is for youth and young adults who are 10 to 26 years old and who have substance abuse and significant conduct and delinquency problems and their parents and families. The program has also been adapted for use with youth who have been diagnosed with Internet Gaming Disorder.

Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), an intensive, community-based, family-centered outpatient treatment program, is designed to decrease youth substance abuse and behavior problems, improve youth coping skills and academic performance, and strengthen family functioning and relationships.

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated positive results for MDFT with clinically and statistically significant decreases in substance usage-related problems, substance-use frequency, delinquent behaviors (e.g., criminal offending), self-reported distress (e.g., externalizing and internalizing behaviors), and the prevalence of internet gaming disorder. In addition, results indicate significant increases in school performance and positive family interactions. Studies generally indicate that MDFT produces greater results for higher-problem severity groups. One external replication demonstrated that MDFT was equally as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing delinquency (i.e., time to first offense or changes in frequency or severity of offending over time) in a primarily male, cannabis-using population up to 7 years after starting treatment. Please note, other outcomes (e.g., substance use) have not been evaluated in external replications that demonstrate sustained effects.

MDFT intends to reduce substance use and problem behaviors in youth, strengthen youth’s emotional regulation and coping skills, and improve parenting and family communication. A trained therapist works intensively with youth; youth’s parents and family; and other community systems, such as the youth’s friends and peers, school and work environments, and leisure time situations. MDFT is carried out in three stages:

• Stage 1 – enhance treatment motivation, create multiple therapeutic alliances, and develop a treatment plan;
• Stage 2 – implement interventions, which target youth, parents, and other individuals, that are designed to improve family communication and relationships, increase parental competence, and develop youth’s coping skills; and
• Stage 3 – create a relapse prevention plan and finalize treatment.

Therapists meet individually with youth; individually with parents; together as a family; and together with youth, family, and community influences.

MDFT is currently being implemented in more than 150 public and private organizations across the United States and Europe.

This program is delivered by therapists who have a master’s degree in counseling, mental health, family therapy, or social work. Training for therapist certification in MDFT is required. Two different training programs are offered, and they include certification training and train-the-trainer training. Certification training is completed on-site or virtually and requires approximately 6 months to complete. The train-the-trainer program is also available to agencies that have completed certification training. Please use details in the Contact section or visit https://www.mdft.org/programs to learn more.

Considerations for implementing MDFT include recruiting therapists with suitable credentials and making arrangements for them to receive training, finding funding for training and program implementation costs, acquiring participant buy-in, and monitoring treatment fidelity to maximize efficacy.

The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

If you are interested in implementing MDFT, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

MDFT is implemented in 12 to 16 weeks with 60- to 90-minute sessions held twice a week.

Implementation costs will range from $2,000 to $9,000 per child depending on therapist salaries, the severity of the problem, and length of treatment.

The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu

You may also contact MDFT by mail 6619 South Dixie Highway, #117, Miami, FL 33143, phone 1-786-668-2088, email info@mdft.org, or visit https://www.mdft.org/contact

https://www.mdft.org/