Minnesota Model and Under-Twenty Drug Users

Reading Elliott Currie's The Road to Whatever made me wonder, is 12-step (the "Minnesota Model" of treatment) really appropriate for teens?

The 12-step model has its critics, but is widely assumed in popular culture to be "the only effective treatment".  It's not, it is just the best-known and its assumptions about human nature are deeply ingrained in the treatment industry.

I don't know that anyone has actually looked at the assumptions underlying the 12-step program through the lens of developmental appropriateness.  There's a book and website, Drug Strategies--Treating Teens that referenced one study:

Winters, K.    C., Stinchfield, R. D., Opland, E., Weller, C., & Latimer, W.  W. (2000). The effectiveness of the Minnesota Model approach in   the treatment of adolescent drug abusers. Addiction, 95, 601-612.

I eventually found another comprehensive review, An overview of the effectiveness of adolescent substance abuse treatment models,  by Randolph Muck, Kristin A Zempolich, Janet C Titus, Marc Fishman, et al, published in Youth and Society, Volume 33, Issue: 2, pp  143-168 (ISSN: 0044118X), which is available online here.

The report  includes information from a report prepared for the Illinois Governor's Conference on Substance Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment for Youth, held August 30-31, 1999

A partial list of critics of  Alcoholics  Anonymous (widely refered to as XA -- the X standing for Alcoholics, Narcotics, Overeaters--you name it) and alternatives to XA:

Chaz Bufe (AA--Cult or Cure)
Stanton Peele (Seven Tools to Beat Addiction and many other books)
Ken Ragge (The Real AA) (More Revealed)
Jack Trimpey (Rational Recovery)
Jim Christopher (Secular Organzations for Sobriety)
LifeRing (Sobriety, Secular, Self-help)
Sober for Good
Maxie Maulstby, Stay Sober and Straight
Charlotte Kasl (Many Roads, One Journey)
Anne Wayman, Powerfully Recovered
Marianne Gillian, How Alcoholics Anonymous Failed Me
Herbert Fingarette, Heavy Drinking
Jeffery Schaler,  Addiction is a Choice
James DeSena, Overcoming Your Addictions

John Brekke takes credit for inventing the combination  the Outward Bound self-concept improvement and the "Minnesota Model"  which is now called "wilderness therapy".

Teen Challenge says the answer to teen addiction is a deep faith in Jesus Christ.

Susan Tappert says,

Most programs are based on adult approaches and don't necessarily address adolescents' needs.

About.com points out that outcomes research is new in the field of addiction treatment generally.

Here's a press release from Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration announcing:

An e-mail discussion group called the Society for Adolescent Substance   Abuse Treatment Effectiveness listserv—an outgrowth of the               ATM project—facilitates ongoing conversation and sharing of               information. The listserv is open to anyone in the field.

The next SASATE meeting hasn't been announced.

Comments

[kingsnuche]

Every person will do some exercises to keep their healthy and to be strong. In this process sum may succeed but some may fail. People who are failed to do so don't worry as I can help you in providing some work out plans.
--------------
kingnsuche
http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/minnesota>minnesota drug rehab