Family-Based Treatments for Adolescent Substance Abuse: Advances Yield New Developmental Challenges

Adolescent drug and alcohol abuse remains a serious health problem. Family-based treatments are recognized as among the most effective interventions for youth with drug and alcohol problems. This chapter presents the state of the science of the family-based adolescent substance abuse treatment field, summarizing the advances, methodological features, and outcomes of 36 randomized controlled trials, representing 18 distinct models of family-based therapies for youth substance abuse. The chapter reviews developments and gaps in this specialty, including theory issues, treatment development, research, and services for referred youths. The chapter also discusses the unknowns of the field, including the topic of treatment mechanisms and moderators, and deliberates on the complicated topic of implementing evidence-based therapies in usual care settings.