Introduction
Contrary to common opinion, integrative therapy is nothing like eclecticism. Whereas eclectic therapy borrows from many models without a cohesive concept of therapy, integrative therapy is well formulated and an unambiguous approach to therapy that is based on techniques that are empirically-proven. While the models, theories and interventions may arise from a myriad of quarters, they blend very well in a streamlined impression of therapy. As a family focused intervention, trials are run in different settings and with a different audience in order to evaluate its effectiveness (Rasheed, Rasheed, & Marley, 2011). As family focused intervention, the multidimensional family therapy has been extensively tested for effectiveness
Discussion
- Design and content: - The Multidimensional Family Therapy is a comprehensive, theoretically-derived, multi-component and empirically driven intervention. A total of four efficacy and randomized clinical trials have recognized the Multidimensional Family Therapy to have core mechanisms to enhance change. Dosage and intensity is core to the effectiveness of a family focused intervention.
In order to create a long lasting effect, the Multidimensional Family Therapy has between 16 and 25 sessions spanning a period of 6 months. This is ample time to create and sustain a behavioral change. The sessions are formatted to fit the needs of different clinical needs if various clinical populations. The Multidimensional Family Therapy attempts to vary the contexts through which learning takes place in order to avoid monotony. For instance, some of the sessions take place over the phone, in-clinic or in-home. This illuminates on articulate design of the model to foster an enabling environment for learning.
The Multidimensional Family Therapy is cognizant to the fact that youth grow up amidst networks of influence. It is with this in consideration that the Multidimensional Family Therapy increases its prosocial targets of behavior thereby making the family focused intervention comprehensive. As an effective family focused intervention, the Multidimensional Family Therapy uses active learning techniques that endeavor to foster and sustain behavior change. As an intervention aimed at aiding behavior change, of great worry is the chance of relapse. This occurs due to the lack of will to hold on to the acquired behavior for long. It is for this reason that sustaining behavior change is given consideration in this integrative model.
- Relevance: - The relevance of a family focused intervention is core to its effectiveness. Tailoring intervention activities to fit a certain developmental stage and age is of great influence to the Multidimensional Family Therapy’s effectiveness. The Multidimensional Family Therapy features sessions with family members and other extrafamilial relations. Therapy sessions are held at the home of the teenager, in the clinic, at school, at the law courts with the family members or any other relevant locations in the community. This is because the integrative model recognizes that therapy need not curtail the life of the individual. More precisely, attempts to restore good behavior are best served when the normal life of the individual is unnecessarily interrupted.
This is done in order to create a support system for the adolescents. In accordance with the characteristics of other effective interventions, the Multidimensional Family Therapy reaches out to its beneficiaries when they are ready to change. Teenage is a very pivotal stage in the growth of an individual. The Multidimensional Family Therapy is also socio-culturally relevant in that it involves the family unit and the society within which the teenagers reside. The family and the immediate acts as positive reinforcement for positive behavior change as well as forces to reprimand and correct deviational behavior (Liddle, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (U.S.), & Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2002).
- Delivery and implementation: - Contrary to popular opinion the curriculum of an intervention is not the main determinant of its success. Much of it has to do with how the intervention is delivered and implemented. In order to foster good relationships, the Multidimensional Family Therapy helps cultivate parental commitment and rallies against abdication during and after the therapy sessions. The integrative model encourages commitment from the parents in order to provide the moral support required to help the teenager see the program through with a positive attitude. Abdication by the parent would create a negative effect on the reforming teenager psychologically. The inclusion of the immediate society helps mend ribbons between the reforming teenagers and the community members.
The Multidimensional Family Therapy takes into consideration the individual systems and interlocking environment in which the clinically referred teenagers live. This way, they are able to implement the ecologically and developmentally oriented treatment embodied in the Multidimensional Family Therapy. Program fidelity is very important in the credibility and effectiveness of an intervention. Over the past seventeen years, the Multidimensional Family Therapy has been reviewed and refined in order to improve its fidelity. This is consistent with the requirements of effectiveness from evidence-based research into family focused interventions.
Conclusion
The multidimensional Family Therapy applies various approaches towards reforming teenagers with drug abuse issues. However, of note is that even though the different approaches encompassed in the integrative model are empirically proven, unlike the eclectic approaches. It is also noteworthy that the multidimensional family therapy has been refined and tested over a seventeen year period through trials. Therefore, it is suffice to posit that the integrative model has proven its effectiveness.
References
Liddle, H. A., Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (U.S.), & Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. (2002). Multidimensional family therapy for adolescent cannabis users. Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.
Rasheed, J. M., Rasheed, M. N., & Marley, J. A. (2011). Family therapy: Models and techniques. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.
