Ecologically Based Family Therapy (EBFT)

Variety of Behavioral Health Settings

Addresses multiple ecological systems in treating substance-abusing adolescents, ages 12-17, who have run away from home and their families. The program addresses immediate needs, to resolve the crisis of running away, and to facilitate emotional re-connection through communication and problem-solving skills among family members. Therapy relies on understanding the individual, interpersonal, and environmental context as well as the unique resources and needs of the family and its members. The intervention includes family systems techniques such as reframes, relabels, and relational interpretations; communication skills training; and conflict resolution, but also therapeutic case management in which systems outside the family are directly targeted. The model includes 12 home-based (or office-based) family therapy sessions and 2-4 individual HIV prevention sessions. 

Focus Population
Families, Adolescents
Target Problems or Risk Factors
Alcohol, Conduct/Behavior, Domestic Violence, Drug Problems, Sexual (Abuse, Assault, Risk, STIs, etc)
Level of Intervention
Indicated
Settings in Which Program Can Be Delivered
Alcohol/drug treatment center, Behavioral Health Organization or Agency, Home
Latinos in Participant Samples
Yes - Substantial (31% to 55%)
Type of Program
Generic
Registry
CEBC
Strength of Evidentiary Support
1-Star (⭐) CEBC - Substance Abuse Prevention (Child & Adolescent)
Cost of the Program
No
Availability of the program in Spanish and/or Portuguese
No Information
Registry URL
https://www.cebc4cw.org/implementation/ecologically-based-family-therapy/
Contact Information
Natasha Slesnick, PhD
Professor
The Ohio State University
Department of Human
Development and Family Science
E-mail: slesnick.5@osu.edu
Phone: (614) 247-8469
Fax: (614) 292-4365