Taking Brief Strategic Family Therapy from Bench to Trench: Evidence Generation Across Translational Phases

• Author: Austen R. Anderson,Viviana E. Horigian,José Szapocznik
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12233
• Date: 01 September 2016
• Published date: 01 September 2016

Taking Brief Strategic Family Therapy from Bench to

Trench: Evidence Generation Across Translational

Phases

VIVIANA E. HORIGIAN*

AUSTEN R. ANDERSON*

JOS



E SZAPOCZNIK*

In this article, we review the research evidence generated over 40 years on Brief Strategic

Family Therapy illustrating the NIH stages of intervention development and highlighting

the translational process. Basic research (Stage 0) led to the discovery of the characteristics

of the population and the nature of the problems that needed to be addressed. This step

informed the selection of an intervention model that addressed the problems presented by

the population, but in a fashion that was congruent with the population’s culture, defined

in terms of its value orientations. From this basic research, an intervention that integrated

structural and strategic elements was selected and refined through testing (Stage I). The

second stage of translation (Stage II) included efficacy trials of a specialized engagement

module that responded to challenges to the provision of services. It also included several

other efficacy trials that documented the effects of the intervention, mostly in research set-

tings or with research therapists. Stages III/IV in the translational process led to the test-

ing of the effectiveness of the intervention in real-world settings with community therapists

and some oversight from the developer. This work revealed that an implementation/orga-

nizational intervention was required to achieve fidelity and sustainability of the interven-

tion in real-world settings. The work is currently in Stage V in which new model

development led to an implementation intervention that can ensure fidelity and sustain-

ability. Future research will evaluate the effectiveness of the current implementation model

in increasing adoption, fidelity, and long-term sustainability in real-world settings.

Keywords: Brief Strategic Family Therapy; Adolescent Subs tance Use; Translational

Research

Fam Proc 55:529–542, 2016

Translational research focuses on understanding the scientific and operational princi-

ples underlying the process involved in turning observations in the laboratory, clinic,

and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public.

However, translational research has taken different meanings for different researchers

(Rubio et al., 2010; Woolf, 2008). In behavioral interventio n research, several conceptual-

izations share the notions of steps, stages, or phases for intervention development and

*Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Viviana E. Horigian, Department of Pub-

lic Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St, CRB Room 1040,

Miami, FL 33136. E-mail: vhorigian@med.miami.edu.

This work was supported by grant UG1DA013720 awarded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse,

and UL1TR000460 awarded by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. [Correction added on 20

July 2016, after first online publication: Funder information has been added.]

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Family Process, Vol. 55, No. 3, 2016 ©2016 Family Process Institute

doi: 10.1111/famp.12233