In an experiment designed to assess effects associated with a one-shot intervention and its absence, Ohio State University researchers found that families exposed to intervention achieved modest gains mainly associated with improvements in youths' school adjustment, parents' self concept and use of community resources. Families that refused treatment declined on several measures of family cohesion. Families not provided with an opportunity for intervention showed both gains and losses, but failed to match the range of gains made by those exposed to intervention. The researchers concluded that early treatment intervention improved the chances of conflict resolution, and the absence of such intervention increased the likelihood of declining cohesion in families of runaways. (Author abstract)