| This clinical dissertation focused on the topic of adolescent substance use and treatment. The topic is important because prevalence rates for substance use in adolescents are rising and treatment involving families is highly effective. Although adolescent substance use is a major clinical/social issue, there is a significant gap between research and practice, which this clinical dissertation is designed to address. This doctoral thesis critically reviews the research literature on the topic of family influence on substance use in adolescents. It also includes a summary of findings from interviews with professionals who deal with addiction using family-based interventions in their practices. The clinical information from the literature review and the interviews with professionals were integrated into the family-based interventions as an additional piece of treatment to enhance their knowledge, skills, and awareness of the issue of addiction. Materials were created and used (e.g., in the presentation) as are (e.g., participants' evaluation data and summary of feedback). Additional suggestions are offered for reducing the gap between research and practice pertaining to the discussion of the study's limitations and its implications. |
