Serious Emotional Disturbance in Children and Adolescents

Originally developed to treat antisocial behavior, multisystemic therapy (MST) has emerged as a leading evidence-based treatment for serious emotional disturbance in children and adolescents. This clearly written manual presents the MST approach to working with this challenging population. Delineated are ways to develop and implement collaborative interventions to connect children and families to treatment and support networks, manage psychiatric emergencies, improve family functioning, and build needed social and educational skills. Special topics covered include the role of pharmacological interventions and the need for community-based safety plans for high-risk youths. Featuring a wealth of case material, the manual is extensively documented with findings from controlled outcome studies. It will be a valuable resource for mental health practitioners, agency administrators and caseworkers, clinical researchers, and students training in the use of evidence-based mental health treatments.