Something that sets MST apart from some other treatments is that it has evidence—concrete evidence—from tests and studies. There have been three decades of research that confirms MST reduces criminal activity and out-of-home placements for violent and chronic offenders.
Results Show:
- long-term re-arrest rates reduced by 25-70 percent
- out-of-home placements reduced by 47-64 percent
- families functioning much better
- decreased substance use
- fewer mental-health problems for serious juvenile offenders
And MST’s positive results are long lasting
A 14-year follow-up study by the Missouri Delinquency Project showed youths who received MST had:
- up to 54 percent fewer re-arrests
- up to 57 percent fewer days of incarceration
- up to 68 percent fewer drug-related arrests
- up to 43 percent fewer days on adult probation
MST is committed to continuing its program evaluation and has a quality assurance program that provides all MST programs around the world with tools to assess the adherence of therapists, supervisors and organizations to the MST model.
Download the complete list of MST outcome studies
The data below comes from the 2011 MSTI Data Report which focuses on youth referred for standard MST from January 1 through December 31, 2010, who had an opportunity for a full course of treatment, e.g., cases were clinically closed*. Results from this set of families are compared to those reported in earlier MST Data Reports to assess progress over time.*
*Cases not included either refused services as indicated by their failure to have the first visit with a therapist (2.0%), were closed for administrative reasons (e.g., referral cancelled due to youth not being discharged from facility as planned, 10.2%) or were not discharged by September 23, 2011 (0.8%).
