MST is an evidence-based program that empowers youth (aged 10 – 17) and their families to function responsibly over the long term. MST reduces delinquent and antisocial behavior by addressing the core causes of such conduct. Viewing the client as a network of systems including their family, peers, school, and neighborhood.

Therapists have small caseloads and provide services in the home at times convenient to the family. The average length of treatment is between 3 and 5 months, and therapists and provider agencies are held accountable for achieving change and positive outcomes. 

The primary goals of MST are to a.) reduce youth criminal activity; b.) reduce other types of anti-social behavior such as drug abuse; and c.) achieve these outcomes at a cost savings by decreasing rates of incarceration and out-of-home placement.

The ultimate goal of MST is to empower parents, that is, assure they have or develop the skills and resources needed, to address the difficulties that arise in raising children and adolescents and to similarly empower youth to cope with family, peer, school, and neighborhood problems.

This is done in part through the utilization of indigenous (i.e., naturally occurring or preexisting) child, family, and community resources that support the long-term generalization and maintenance of changes that take place during MST treatment.

The MST Therapist consults with and coaches parents and guardians on strategies to set and reinforce curfews and rules in the home, decrease the adolescent’s involvement with anti-social peers and promote friendships with pro-social peers, improve the adolescent’s academic and/or vocational performance and manage the challenges presented by criminal activity that may exist in the neighborhood.

MST therapists focus on collaborating with and empowering parents by using identified strengths to develop or enhance a natural support system comprised of extended family, friends, neighbors and community members.

Principle 1: Finding the fit
An assessment is made to understand the “fit” between identified problems and how they play out and make sense in the entire context of the young person’s environment. Assessing the “fit” of the young person’s successes also helps guide the treatment process. 

Principle 2: Focusing on positives and strengths 
MST Therapists and team members emphasize the positives they find and use strengths in the young person’s world as levers for positive change. Focusing on family strengths has numerous advantages, such as building on strategies the family already knows how to use, building feelings of hope, identifying protective factors, decreasing frustration by emphasizing problem solving and enhancing parents or careers’ confidence.

Principle 3: Increasing responsibility
Interventions are designed to promote responsible behavior and decrease irresponsible actions by family members.

Principle 4: Present-focused, action-oriented and well-defined
Interventions deal with what’s happening now in the young person’s life. Therapists look for action that can be taken immediately, targeting specific and well-defined problems. Such interventions enable participants to track the progress of the treatment and provide clear criteria to measure success. Family members are expected to work actively toward goals by focusing on present-oriented solutions, versus gaining insight or focusing on the past. When the clear goals are met, the treatment can end.

Principle 5: Targeting sequences
Interventions target sequences of behavior within and between the various interacting elements of the adolescent’s life—family, teachers, friends, home, school and community—that sustain the identified problems.

Principle 6: Developmentally appropriate
Interventions are set up to be appropriate to the young person’s age and fit his or her developmental needs. A developmental emphasis stresses building the young person’s ability to get along well with peers and acquire academic and vocational skills that will promote a successful transition to adulthood.

Principle 7: Continuous effort
Interventions require daily or weekly effort by family members so that the young person and family have frequent opportunities to demonstrate their commitment. Advantages of intensive and multifaceted efforts to change include more rapid problem resolution, earlier identification of when interventions need fine-tuning, continuous evaluation of outcomes, more frequent corrective interventions, more opportunities for family members to experience success and giving the family power to orchestrate their own changes.

Principle 8: Evaluation and accountability
Intervention effectiveness is evaluated continuously from multiple perspectives with MST team members being held accountable for overcoming barriers to successful outcomes. MST does not label families as “resistant, not ready for change or unmotivated.” This approach avoids blaming the family and places the responsibility for positive treatment outcomes on the MST team.

Principle 9: Generalization
Interventions are designed to invest the parents or careers with the ability to address the family’s needs after the intervention is over. The parent or career is viewed as the key to long-term success. Family members drive the change process in collaboration with the MST therapist.

Please direct questions and referrals to shandellr@health.solutions