Brief Strategic Family Therapy

Abstract

Behavioral problems in adolescence rarely appear in isolation. Most commonly, problems occur in clusters that may include combinations of several problem behaviors, such as truancy, vandalism, gang participation and association with deviant peers, conflict with parents, poor academic performance and attendance, violence, drug use, risky sexual behaviors, and delinquency. The pervasiveness of behavior problems across multiple settings often causes considerable distress to parents, school personnel, and society as a whole. Adolescents with behavior problems also pose significant challenges for mental health professionals. Most adolescents are referred to treatment by a third party, such as their parents, school, or the court, and they are typically not troubled by their own behavior, which – combined with their general recalcitrance toward authority – make them quite formidable to deal with in the treatment context. The challenge for mental health counselors is further compounded by the fact that the behavior problems often occur in contexts of severe familial and social disruption; problems which most therapists are ill prepared to address, but which we believe are critical components of successful treatment for these youths. For example, clinical theory and research have identified specific family interaction patterns that are linked to adolescent behavior problems. This knowledge has facilitated the development of family-based interventions strategies that specifically target these patterns One intervention that has received considerable support in research studies is Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT), an intervention developed over the past 30 years at the Center for Family Studies of the University of Miami. BSFT is specifically designed to provide families with the tools to overcome adolescent behavior problems and the family dysfunction that often accompanies these adolescent problems through: 1) focused interventions to correct maladaptive patterns of family interaction, and 2) skills building strategies to strengthen families.