This study examined the effectiveness of Functional Family Therapy (FFT) in treating high-risk behaviorally disordered youth in a community juvenile justice setting compared to probation services 12 months after treatment, and it examined the hypothesis that clients receiving FFT from a therapist adhering to the model will have significantly lower rates of recidivism than clients receiving usual therapy services.
Each of the therapists in the study received systematic training and supervision in the FTT intervention model, following the protocol detailed in the treatment manual. Training was closely monitored to ensure that the therapists were able to deliver the program content as intended by the model. The evaluation involved 38 therapists and 917 families in 14 counties representing both rural and urban settings. Juvenile in the study had been adjudicated for a crime and sentenced to probation. Both control and FFT participants were 79 percent male and 21 percent female. Recidivism measurement focused on felony crime as the critical outcome, given its impact on societal and justice system costs. Each analysis controlled for age, gender, and initial measured risk level. The findings indicate that FFT was effective in reducing youth behavioral problems only when the therapists adhered to the FFT treatment model. There was a statistically significant reduction in felonies, including violent crime, and a marginally significant reduction in misdemeanor recidivisms compared to those in the control condition. Therapists with low ratings regarding adherence to the FFT model had significantly lower effects on youths’ felony recidivism after 1 year. The participants with high peer and family risk were more likely to have successful outcomes when their therapist adhered to the FFT model. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 30 references