Therapy Evaluation of Multifamily Therapy
Method-integrative evaluation of short- and long-term effects of multifamily therapy in a day clinic setting
Multifamily Therapy (MFT) is an evidence-based procedure that has been an integral part of the treatment concept for day-care treatment of children and adolescents since 2010. Here, families are directly and actively involved in the therapeutic process. The families are encouraged to find solutions for their problems among themselves and to exchange and support each other. Techniques of systemic family therapy and psychodynamic group therapy are used. Previous studies have proven the effectiveness of this form of therapy with regard to certain disorders. A special feature of our approach is that we treat children and adolescents between the ages of 3-18 years in homogeneous age groups. In order to investigate the effectiveness of this special form of therapy, the course and long-term effects of the treatment on our patients have been continuously monitored since 2010. Patients and their parents are interviewed at admission (T1), after three months of treatment (T2) and after nine months (T3) in a pre-post design with regard to stress experience (CBCL, YSR) and subjective family relationships (SFB).
The results so far show significant symptom reductions in the specific test procedures as well as positive changes in family relationships in the SFB between the measurement points T1 and T2. At measurement time T3 after discharge, a further reduction of symptoms is shown and the positive changes in family relationships remain stable. In order to collect the families' views on the subjectively significant effect factors of the MFT, the evaluation was supplemented by qualitative methods. The focus of the qualitative interviews was on how parents experience the influence of the MFT on family interactions and relationships and their changes in the course of therapy. The exchange with other families and an improvement in the quality of relationships within one's own family were cited as important subjective impact factors of the MFT. Of particular interest was the realization of the mothers interviewed that the child's symptoms are only part of the problem and that the parents' assumption of responsibility for the existing difficulties is decisive for the success of the child's therapy. This could indicate that the mutual understanding of parents and children for each other has grown and thus the ability to put themselves in the other's shoes.
Currently, an increase of the sample size in the catamnesis is aimed at, in order to be able to make better statements about long-term effects. In addition, the proof of efficacy is to be supported in the form of a control group study.
Project leader: Dr. Ulrike Röttger
Project manager: Dr. Jeanette Schadow
Collaboration: Dr. von der Lippe, Medical School Berlin
Duration: 01.01.2016 – 31.12.2020
Publications from this project:
