The effects of targeted vs. non -specific interventions in family therapy for teens with epilepsy and their parents
Abstract
Differences in the outcome between single-family “targeted” (i.e. issue specific) vs. multi-family psychoeducational therapy were investigated. Twenty-six adolescents with epilepsy and their parents participated in a 6-session family counseling program, posttesting and 6-month follow-up. Families were randomly assigned to either the Issue-specific Family Counseling Model (IFCM) that targeted specific family problems, or Family Psychoeducational Counseling (FPC) that emphasized education, communication and coping skills. This study examined whether targeted interventions, tailored interventions designed to address a specific family problem, resulted in differential gains on issue-frequency, severity and improvement ratings as compared to non-targeted interventions for parents and adolescents. At the 6-month follow-up, data were similarly scrutinized for differential effects in maintenance of therapeutic gains. Generalization across targeted and non-targeted family problems was investigated within and between the two therapeutic conditions for adolescents and their parents. The current findings provided evidence of treatment gains and maintenance of treatment effects across the two family-based interventions. Despite the differences between IFCM and FPC, both showed gains pre- to posttest and pre- to follow-up on issue severity and issue frequency measures. There was evidence of generalization across issues with “not targeted” issues demonstrating similar improvement to those “targeted” within IFCM. Generalization of treatment effects across family therapy participants indicated some differences between teens and their mothers, suggesting that future intervention studies involving families with teens need to consider the perspective of both parents and adolescents in reporting treatment outcome.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
McGrew, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Social psychology|Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology
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