Cognities van adolescenten na Multi Systeem Therapie als mediator voor externaliserend probleemgedrag

Abstract

The present study tested the hypotheses that cognitions about hostility, physical threat and social threat decrease and cogntions about personal failure increase during multisystemic therapy (MST) and that this leads to a decrease of adolescent externalizing problems. Eight mediation models were tested separatly for the four cognitions by parent and adolescent reports. The sample consisted of 77 adolescents, 74% boys and 26% girls, mean age is 15.47 years (SD = 1.53) and their parents who received MST. Assessment (questionnaires) took place before and immediately after the treatment. No support was found for mediated effects of cognitions about hostility, personal failure, physical threat and social threat. A decrease of adolescent externalizing behavior during MST is therefore not explained by cognitions about hostility, personal failure, physical threat and social threat after MST.