Adolescent Outpatient and Continuing Care Study

CBOP is an evidence-informed intervention that has developed over 20 years and been shaped by treatment research. The underlying theory of change is that the combination of multiple evidence-based and best-practice treatment components will increase the adolescent's desire to change, provide the necessary skills, and create an environment supportive for this change. The intervention is based on a manual and is primarily delivered through skill and therapy groups, combined with a limited number of family and individual sessions for treatment planning and progress reviews.

A manual-based 5-session MET/CBT model was supplemented with 2 family sessions. First was a family session to provide parents with an overview. Next was an individual adolescent MET session that focused on building rapport, explaining treatment, building motivation, and reviewing personalized feedback. In the third session, the therapist helped the adolescent complete a functional analysis of substance use and a personal goal worksheet. During sessions 4-6, the adolescent joined a closed group of 6 for 90-min CBT skills groups focusing on substance refusal skills, enhancing social support, planning for high-risk situations, and coping with relapse. The last session was a family session to review progress, relapse signs, and continuing care plans. Treatment lasted about 12 weeks.

ACC is a home-based continuing care approach that takes place over a 12-14 week period and has shown promise in a randomized clinical trial of adolescents discharged from residential treatment. Following an operant reinforcement and skills training model, ACC combines the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach and case management services to help adolescents and their caregivers engage in prosocial activities, skills, and needed community services during weekly home visits.