ABSTRACT
Adolescents with disruptive behaviors represent one of the most difficult treatment populations (DiGiuseppe, Linscott, & Jilton, 1996). Conduct problems are remarkably stable over time and are characterized by escalations as the child moves into adolescence (Patterson, 1993). Nonetheless, reviews of the treatment research literature have noted the success of family-based interventions in improving adolescent problem behaviors (cf., Alexander, Holtzworth-Munroe, & Jameson, 1994; Liddle & Dakof, 1995a, 1995b; Stanton & Shadish, 1997). These reviews have included studies conducted with adolescents and family members from a variety of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, suggesting that the mechanisms involved in family-based interventions operate across demographic boundaries.
