In addition, during the followup year, MDFT recipients:
improved their academic performance, while the grades of youths who had had the CBT-based group therapy worsened;
had fewer arrests and placements on probation;
suffered fewer psychiatric symptoms, such as those related to depression and anxiety;
reduced self-reported delinquency and associations with delinquent peers, while youths receiving the group CBT increased delinquent peer involvement.
"Consistent with results from our other trials, outcomes of MDFT appeared to improve even after therapists completed their work with teens and families," Dr. Liddle says.