MULTISYSTEMIC TREATMENT OF VIOLENT AND CHRONIC JUVENILE-OFFENDERS - BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

The lack of communication between researchers and practitioners has hi ndered the development of effective interventions for children and ado lescents. Recently, however, significant headway in bridging this rese archer-practitioner gap has been made due to the emergence of multisys temic therapy (MST) as a treatment approach that combines the rigor of science and the ''real world'' aspects of clinical practice in treati ng violent and chronic juvenile offenders and their families in commun ity-based settings. MST addresses the multiple known determinants of d elinquency and delivers services in the family's natural environment, with considerable emphasis on treatment fidelity This article describe s MST and provides a case example of how MST treatment principles are applied.