An expert at the University of Dundee will present findings today on the effectiveness of family therapy and other approaches that aim to reduce drug use in young people with developing or existing drug problems.
Dr Lawrie Elliott of the University of Dundee's School of Nursing and Midwifery will tell the Scottish Executive Drug Misuse conference in Stirling today (Monday 18 November) that more intensive therapies such as behaviour therapy, culturally sensitive counselling and family therapy are the most effective ways to combat drug problems among adolescents.
Funded by the Scottish Executive Effective Interventions Unit, Lawrie undertook a comprehensive review of existing research, primarily from the US and Canada, on the effectiveness of drug services for young people.
Lawrie Elliott explains: "We discovered from the evidence that involving the family in an intervention improves the outcomes and that family therapy was particularly effective in reducing drug use and the psychological and social problems associated with drug use."
Contact Lawrie Elliott 01382 348524
By Jenny Marra, Press Officer 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk