Transitional Treatment of Adolescents in Family Therapy

The purpose of this study is to test different treatments to reduce relapse for drug-abusing adolescents who have completed family therapy. Adolescents receive 12 weeks of family therapy, designed to strengthen family relationships and develop skills for helping the adolescent avoid drug use. Then they are randomly assigned to receive one of three eight-week follow-up treatments: phone calls from a project therapist, group therapy, or a customized schedule of therapist visits with the adolescent, the adolescent's family and teachers, coaches, probation officers and others who can help the adolescent reach or maintain abstinence. Families are assessed using questionnaires and interviews before, during and after treatment, to provide information about family functioning, the adolescent's drug use, the adolescent's peers and other factors that may contribute to treatment success or failure. Adolescents also provide urine specimens for drug screening at assessment visits. Study investigators expect the study will show that a functional family environment and insulating adolescents from the influence of peers who use drugs will help prevent relapse for adolescents who have received family therapy.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Substance Abuse Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

13 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Oregon Res. Inst. Center for Family & Adolescent Research (CFAR)

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

At least one parent, step-parent, or surrogate parent willing to participate in the study
13 to 18 years if age
meets DSM-IV (APA, 1994) diagnostic criteria for substance abuse or dependence
Lives in the Albuquerque metropolitan area or surrounding communities with a parent, step-parent, or surrogate parent; AND
Sufficient residential stability to permit probable contact at follow-up (e.g., not homeless at time of intake).

Exclusion criteria

Evidence of psychotic or organic state of sufficient severity to interfere with understanding of study instruments and procedures
Adolescent deemed dangerous to self or others during evaluation
Services other than outpatient treatment required for the adolescent (e.g., inpatient, detoxification)
Adolescent already has participated in treatment project at CFAR; AND
A sibling is already participating in project.

Treatment and study plan

MTI, Minimal Transitional Intervention

Behavioral

Following 12 weeks of Functional Family Therapy (FFT), semi-weekly phone calls from a therapist for eight weeks.

GTI, Group Transitional Intervention

Behavioral

Following 12 weeks of FFT, weekly one-hour sessions of group therapy for eight weeks.

STI, Systems Transitions Intervention

Behavioral

Following 12 weeks of FFT, an individualized eight-week series of therapist meetings with the adolescent, family, police, teachers, coaches and others who can support the adolescent's reduced drug use.

Primary outcomes

Drug use levels for adolescents who have received family therapy and one of the three aftercare regimens

Time frame: pretx and 6 wks, 4 , 7 and 12 mos. post initial therapy session

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oregon Research Institute

Other

Registry information

Acronym: Transitions

Important dates

Study start: 2004
Primary completion: 2014
Study completion: 2014
First posted: May 20, 2008
Registry last updated: Aug 5, 2014

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed