Sistematización y evaluación de una intervención familiar con adolescentes con comportamientos problemáticos

Laburpena

Scene-based Psychodramatic Family Therapy (SB-PFT) is an innovative intervention directed at adolescents with problematic behaviors and their parents. This intervention has recently begun to be implemented in Andalusia, Spain. On a theoretical level this intervention is based on principles derived from systemic family therapy and psychodrama. On a methodological level it uses a format of multiple-family groups with special emphasis on framing and psychodrama techniques. Specifically, SB-PFT aims to improve family relationships and reduce problematic adolescent behaviors. Due to the importance of defining and evaluating family interventions, and of contributing to the rationale of SB-PFT as an evidence-based intervention, this dissertation has proposed two main objectives: to systematize intervention using SB-PFT and to evaluate its effectiveness. To address the first objective, a Technical Manual for intervention with SB-PFT was developed. In this Technical Manual, the theoretical framework of SB-PFT, its methodology, recipients, objectives, contents, format, structure of the sessions and core components were structured and broadly defined. In addition, implementation guidelines and tools for evaluating the effectiveness of SB-PFT were incorporated. This Technical Manual adds to the scientific evidence of SB-PFT, is a resource for professionals, and helps to ensure consistency and fidelity to the key principles of SB-PFT in any application. For the second objective all SB-PFT interventions carried out between 2015 and 2016 were evaluated. We proposed a mixed-evaluation design combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and that incorporated elements to determine the efficiency of SB-PFT based on the perceived usefulness of psychodramatic techniques and the participants’ risk trajectory. The results showed SB-PFT to promote positive changes in the emotional intelligence of adolescents (and their parents), in strengthening the parent attachment perceived by adolescents (also perceived by their parents) and in reducing problematic adolescent behaviors, especially in long-term follow-up. Other changes were also demonstrated, such as increased self-knowledge, better parenting practices or more perceived social support. Participants identified the group methodology, role-playing and mirror technique as the main intervention components promoting change. Lastly, SB-PFT showed positive results in strengthening family attachment for adolescents who had recently experienced situations of stress in the family context. In conclusion, the systematization of SB-PFT using the Technical Manual and the results derived from the effectiveness evaluation confirm SB-PFT –according to the definition of levels of evidence– to be a promising family-intervention for adolescents who exhibit problematic behaviors.