MST is a pragmatic and goal-oriented treatment that specifically
targets factors of each youth’s social network that are
contributing to his or her antisocial behavior.Thus, MST
interventions typically aim to improve caregiver discipline
practices, enhance family affective relations, decrease youth
association with deviant peers, increase youth association with
prosocial peers, improve youth school or vocational performance,
engage youth in prosocial recreational outlets, and develop an
indigenous support network of extended family, neighbors, and
friends to help caregivers achieve and maintain such changes.
Specific treatment techniques used to facilitate these gains are
integrated from those therapies that have the most empirical
support, including cognitive behavioral, behavioral, and the
pragmatic family therapies.
MST services are delivered in the natural environment (e.g.,
home, school, community). The treatment plan is designed in
collaboration with family members and is, therefore,
family-driven rather than therapist-driven. The ultimate goal of
MST is to empower families to build an environment, through the
mobilization of indigenous child, family, and community
resources, that promotes health. The typical duration of
home-based MST services is approximately 4 months, with multiple
therapist-family contacts occurring each week.
The first controlled study of MST with juvenile offenders was
published in 1986, and since then, numerous randomized clinical
trials with violent and chronic juvenile offenders have been
conducted. In these trials, MST has demonstrated:
Reduced long-term rates of criminal offending in serious
juvenile offenders,
Decreased recidivism and rearrests,
Reduced rates of out-of-home placements for serious juvenile
offenders,
Extensive improvements in family functioning,
Decreased behavior and mental health problems for serious
juvenile offenders,
Favorable outcomes at cost savings in comparison with usual
mental health and juvenile justice services.
