The Roots of MST-PSB
​
Multisystemic Therapy for Youth with Problem Sexual Behaviors (MST-PSB) is a clinical adaptation of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) that has been specifically designed and developed to treat youth (and their families) for problematic sexual behavior. Building upon the research and dissemination foundation of standard MST, the MST-PSB model represents a state-of-the-art, evidence-based practice uniquely developed to address the multiple determinants underlying problematic juvenile sexual behavior. This model represents a particularly potent advancement in the treatment of juvenile sexual offenses given the relative infancy of available treatment options, the paucity of outcome-related research supporting other existing treatments, and the high level of social concern regarding the seriousness of target behaviors for this population.
Evidence-Based Treatment
​
Three randomized clinical trials of MST-PSB stand alone in the field with respect to the rigor of their design. The first trial with a 3-year follow-up for rearrests and incarceration was published in 1990. The second trial with a multiagent assessment battery (assessing individual adjustment, family relations, peer relations, and school grades) and a 9-year follow-up for rearrests and incarceration was published in 2009. The most recent trial, a large scale effectiveness study assessing multiple domains of functioning through 12 months follow-up, was also published in 2009, with a 24-month follow-up published in 2013.
Every dollar spent on MST-PSB recovers $48.81 in savings to taxpayers and crime victims (Borduin & Dopp, 2015)
Delivered in the Community
MST-PSB is delivered in the community (clients' homes, schools, neighborhoods) to ensure ecological validity and treatment generalization, occurs with a high level of intensity and frequency (often three or more sessions per week), incorporates treatment interventions that are strongly supported and informed by research, and places a high premium on approaching each client/family as unique.
