Child and family characteristics in multisystemic therapy for child abuse and neglect (MST‐CAN): Are there associations with treatment outcome?

Evidence-based indication for targeted interventions is a central approach in the field of child welfare and psychotherapy. This study explored the characteristics of children and families referred to Multisystemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) in Switzerland and their associations w...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of marital and family therapy 2024-04, Vol.50 (2), p.453-476
Main Authors: Buderer, Corinna, Kirsch, Tom, Pérez, Tania, Swenson, Cynthia Cupit, Fürstenau, Ute, Rhiner, Bruno, Schmid, Marc
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation
Addictive behaviors
Adolescents
Algorithms
Behavior
Behavior problems
Child abuse & neglect
Child Neglect
Child welfare
Children
Clinical outcomes
Clinical significance
Cluster analysis
Domestic violence
Drug abuse
Emotional disturbances
Evidence-based medicine
Externalizing problems
Families & family life
Family characteristics
Health problems
Internalization
Intervention
Mental disorders
Mental health
Mental health services
Multisystemic therapy
Parents & parenting
Psychotherapy
Risk factors
Social anxiety
Social isolation
Socioeconomic factors
Stress
Teenagers
Treatment outcomes
Treatment programs
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Evidence-based indication for targeted interventions is a central approach in the field of child welfare and psychotherapy. This study explored the characteristics of children and families referred to Multisystemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) in Switzerland and their associations with treatment outcomes. We sought to identify subgroups of children and families referred to MST-CAN and understand their specific needs and alignment with the program. We identified five distinct subgroups of children: (a) those characterized by clinically significant "social withdrawal" and "anxiety/depression," (b) with multiple clinically significant emotional and behavioral problems, (c) with predominantly externalizing problems, (d) with no pathological findings at all, with parents who were less stressed and had fewer mental health problems, and (e) with mainly internalizing problems and parents whose mental health problems deteriorated during treatment. Investigating the fit of children and families referred to treatment programs can enhance the understanding of their healthcare needs and enable more individualized interventions.
ISSN:0194-472X
1752-0606
DOI:10.1111/jmft.l2695