Originally developed to treat antisocial behavior, multisystemic therapy (MST) has emerged as a leading evidence-based treatment for serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents. This clearly written manual presents the MST approach to working with this challenging population. Delineated are ways to develop and implement collaborative interventions to connect children and families to treatment and support networks, manage psychiatric emergencies, improve family functioning, and build needed social and educational skills. Special topics covered include the role of pharmacological...

This practical manual is based on extensive research and the collaboration of hundreds of community-based therapists. It provides step-by-step guidelines for implementing contingency management (CM) -- one of the most effective treatments for substance abuse -- with adolescents and their caregivers. Strategies are detailed for assessing substance use disorders, developing individualized cognitive and behavioral interventions, using behavioral contracts and contingencies to reinforce abstinence, and overcoming frequently encountered treatment roadblocks. Extensive sample dialogues illustrate...