Marijuana Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Marijuana, including details on benefits, cancer, effects, uses, addiction.

Engaging resistant adolescents in drug abuse treatment.

Waldron HB, Kern-Jones S, Turner CW, Peterson TR, Ozechowski TJ

Center for Family and Adolescent Research, Oregon Research Institute, 2700 Yale SE, Suite 200, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA.

In the first phase of a two-part treatment development study, families with a treatment-resistant drug-abusing adolescent (n = 42) were offered 12 sessions of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT). This parent-focused intervention was designed to help parents facilitate their adolescents' entry into treatment, to support adolescents' subsequent behavior change, and to improve parent and family functioning. In the second phase, successfully engaged adolescents (n = 30) were offered 12 sessions of a multicomponent individual cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) targeting substance use and related problem behaviors. For parents and adolescents, measures were collected on pretreatment and posttreatment, with an additional follow-up assessment for parents at 3 months after treatment. Parents on CRAFT intervention experienced a significant reduction in negative symptoms, and 71% of parents were successful in engaging their resistant youths in treatment. The CBT intervention for engaged youths was associated with a statistically significant, but not clinically significant, reduction in marijuana use.

Published 19 February 2007 in J Subst Abuse Treat, 32(2): 133-42.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Marijuana Research Today. All Rights Reserved.