ABSTRACT

Through intensive, treatment-focused interdisciplinary practice, family treatment courts (FTC) offer a speedier pathway to reunification for families with substance use disorder in the foster care system compared to traditional settings. Less is known regarding differences in outcomes among FTC participants on the basis of clinical risk and need characteristics. We analyzed parent–child dyads in a rural Midwestern FTC program to understand the effect of these key variables on successful treatment completion and family reunification.

Results revealed that treatment completion was more likely for parents who reported greater frequency of methamphetamine use in the 30 days prior to treatment entry and less likely for parents who reported more trauma symptoms. Longer time to treatment start from child removal date was associated with a very small increased likelihood of treatment completion as well. Reunification was significantly more likely for parents employed at treatment entry and those who spent more days in treatment. Reunification was less likely for parents who reported more social support and more trauma symptoms at treatment entry. Taken together, these findings suggest that FTC are effective for parents with methamphetamine use disorder, but may see improved outcomes when providing increased supports for parents with severe trauma symptoms.

摘要

通过密集的、以治疗为重点的跨学科实践，与传统环境相比，家庭治疗法庭 (FTC) 为寄养系统中物质使用障碍的家庭提供了更快的团聚途径。关于 FTC 参与者之间基于临床风险和需求特征的结果差异知之甚少。我们分析了中西部农村 FTC 项目中的亲子二人组，以了解这些关键变量对成功完成治疗和家庭团聚的影响。

结果显示，在治疗开始前 30 天内报告使用甲基苯丙胺频率较高的父母更有可能完成治疗，而报告更多创伤症状的父母则不太可能完成治疗。从儿童移除日期开始治疗的时间较长也与治疗完成的可能性增加非常小有关。对于在治疗开始时受雇的父母和在治疗中花费更多天数的父母来说，团聚的可能性要大得多。对于在治疗开始时报告更多社会支持和更多创伤症状的父母来说，团聚的可能性较小。总之，这些研究结果表明 FTC 对患有甲基苯丙胺使用障碍的父母有效，但在为有严重创伤症状的父母提供更多支持时可能会看到改善的结果。