Treatment Retention Outcomes
“With respect to MDFT, research has demonstrated the particular superiority of MDFT over usual community-based treatment in terms of treatment retention and completion rates.”
— Robbins et al 2006
MDFT is remarkably effective in engaging and retaining youth and their families in treatment, particularly when one considers that nationally representative treatment programs engage only one out of every three adolescents who are referred for drug abuse treatment.
MDFT in Randomized Clinical Trials
MDFT in the Community
What People Are Saying
“MDFT focuses on the entire family system. The flexibility of dealing with whoever is there for the session at the time. If Mom is there but the youth is not present for the session, we can intervene with the parent. If the youth needs to have the focus that day, we intervene with the youth. The model is so flexible in that regard and really focuses on the entire family system and their issues. Unlike some other family-based programs, with MDFT we don’t need everybody there in order to have a session. “
— Kathy Schiessl
Sr VP Child & Families Services
Connecticut
“MDFT was superior to CBT-G in retaining youth over time.”
— Hogue et al., 2018
“MDFT was well liked by both adolescents and parents.”
— Hoogeven et al., 2017
“MDFT better retained families in treatment than FTAU.”
— Nielsen et al., 2021
Want to learn more?
Liddle, H. A., Dakof, G. A., Rowe, C. L., Henderson, C., Greenbaum, P., Wang, W., Alberga, L. (2018). Multidimensional Family Therapy as a community-based alternative to residential treatment for adolescents with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 90, 47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2018.04.011
Rowe, C. L., Rigter, H., Gantner, A., Mos, K., Nielsen, P., Phan, O., & Henderson, C. (2013). Implementation fidelity of Multidimensional Family Therapy in an international trial. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 44(4), 391-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2012.08.225