Nassau Alternative
Family Behavioral Therapy
Family Behavior Therapy (FBT) is a cost-effective intervention and evidence-based treatment which utilizes innovative, easily learned, behavioral therapies to accomplish goal performance within family context. FBT focuses on optimizing thoughts and behaviors through performance programming that typically consist of 12 to 16 outpatient sessions of approximately 60 to 90 minutes that are scheduled to occur across 4 to 6 month period.
- Nassau Alternative FBT has demonstrated positive results in both adults and adolescents.
- FBT is aimed at addressing not only substance use problems but other co-occurring problems as well, such as conduct disorders, child mistreatment, depression, family conflict, and unemployment.
- FBT combines behavioral contracting with contingency management.
- FBT involves the patient along with at least one significant other such as a cohabiting partner or a parent (in the case of adolescents).
- Nassau Alternative counselors seek to engage families in applying the behavioral strategies taught in sessions and in acquiring new skills to improve the home environment.
- Clients are encouraged to develop behavioral goals for preventing substance use and HIV infection, which are anchored to a incentivized system.
- Substance-abusing parents are prompted to set goals related to effective parenting behaviors.
- During each session, the behavioral goals are reviewed, with rewards provided by significant others when goals are accomplished. Clients participate in treatment planning, choosing specific interventions from a menu of evidence-based treatment options. In a series of comparisons involving adolescents with and without conduct disorder, FBT was found to be more effective than supportive counseling.
