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NCJRS Abstract

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	NCJ Number:		NCJ 250440
	Title:		Adolescent Substance Use Treatment Effectiveness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
	URL(s):		PDF
	Author(s):		Emily E. Tanner-Smith Ph.D. ; Katarzyna T. Steinka-Fry M.P.A ; Heather Hensman Kettrey Ph.D ; Mark W. Lipsey Ph.D
	Date Published:		12/2016
	Page Count:		76
	Annotation:		The findings and methodology are reported for a meta-analysis that quantitatively synthesized findings from the most current research on the effectiveness of adolescent substance-use treatment.
	Abstract:		Specifically, the meta-analysis examined the effects of substance-use treatment programs on adolescents’ subsequent substance use and the variability in these effects across key features of the adolescent populations and the treatment methods. An extensive literature search identified 61 eligible experimental or quasi-experimental studies that reported 95 treatment-comparison group pairs. Overall, assertive continuing care, behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and family therapy had the strongest evidence of effectiveness in stopping substance abuse among treatment participants. Generic practice that typically involved referral to standard community services was consistently the least effective treatment condition. In a second analysis that examined 380 pretest-posttest effect sizes showed changes in substance use for each of the treatment types; however, the target reductions were found for MET/CBT, family therapy, and CBT programs. There was no evidence that other treatment characteristics or participant characteristics were linked to pretest-postttest changes in substance use. The overall conclusion of the meta-analysis is that most substance-use treatment programs were beneficial in helping adolescents reduce their substance use when those treatment programs provided tailored treatment services beyond standard community services. No program types showed evidence of harmful effects. The preferred referral, however, is to treatment programs that use family therapy, MET, or CBT treatment modalities. Search methods and data collection and analysis are described in detail. 5 exhibits and 21 references
	Main Term(s):		Juvenile drug treatment
	Index Term(s):		Motivation ; Drug treatment programs ; Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) ; Treatment techniques ; Treatment effectiveness ; OJJDP final report ; cognitive-behavioral therapy
	Sponsoring Agency:		Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention US Dept of Justice United States of America
	Grant Number:		2014-DC-BX-K001
	Sale Source:		Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention US Dept of Justice 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, DC 20531 United States of America
	Type:		Program/Project Description ; Program/Project Evaluation ; Report (Study/Research) ; Research (Applied/Empirical) ; Report (Grant Sponsored) ; Literature Review
	Country:		United States of America
	Language:		English
	To cite this abstract, use the following link: https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=272601
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