Turner Emilee H, Mueller Charles W
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki C400, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.
Community Ment Health J. 2025 Jan 30. doi: 10.1007/s10597-024-01445-6.
Prior findings suggest a greater therapeutic focus on strengths is associated with a higher likelihood of successful treatment discharge in youth public mental health treatment. To build upon previous research, the present study examined whether and to what extent therapeutic focus on strengths was associated with changes in day-to-day functioning and treatment progress over the course of therapy. This study used multilevel modeling techniques to analyze 12 consecutive years of standardized routine clinical service data from a public mental health care system which served youth and families who were typically from underserved and low-income backgrounds. The sample comprised 2362 youth with an average age of 13.51 (2.9 SD) years receiving at least 3 months of standards-based intensive in-home (SB-IIH) treatment services. Most youth in the sample identified as multi-ethnic (62.5%) and male (61%). Therapeutic focus on strengths was measured as a proportion of overall treatment targets endorsed by therapists. A greater focus on strengths during the first 5 months of SB-IIH services was a significant predictor of improved functioning at the end of treatment and higher average monthly scores on a measure of treatment progress even after accounting for other predictors, including level of impairment at treatment start. Practice-based findings suggest a greater focus on strengths in youth treatment services might be beneficial in improving functioning and treatment progress. Study findings highlight the need for further research in other clinical youth samples. Clinical practice, dissemination, implementation, and future research implications are discussed.
先前的研究结果表明，在青少年公共心理健康治疗中，更多地关注优势疗法与成功出院的可能性更高相关。为了在先前研究的基础上进一步拓展，本研究探讨了在治疗过程中，关注优势疗法与日常功能变化以及治疗进展之间是否存在关联，以及关联程度如何。本研究采用多层次建模技术，分析了来自一个公共心理健康护理系统连续12年的标准化常规临床服务数据，该系统服务于通常来自服务不足和低收入背景的青少年及其家庭。样本包括2362名青少年，平均年龄为13.51岁（标准差为2.9岁），他们接受了至少3个月的基于标准的强化家庭治疗服务（SB-IIH）。样本中的大多数青少年为多民族（62.5%）且为男性（61%）。对优势疗法的关注程度通过治疗师认可的总体治疗目标的比例来衡量。即使在考虑了其他预测因素，包括治疗开始时的损伤程度之后，在SB-IIH服务的前5个月中更多地关注优势疗法，仍是治疗结束时功能改善以及治疗进展衡量指标上更高平均月度得分的显著预测因素。基于实践的研究结果表明，在青少年治疗服务中更多地关注优势疗法可能有助于改善功能和治疗进展。研究结果凸显了在其他临床青少年样本中进行进一步研究的必要性。文中还讨论了临床实践、传播、实施以及未来研究的意义。
