Intervening in youth problem behavior in Sweden: A pragmatic cost analysis of MST from a randomized trial with conduct disordered youth

• Within the context of a randomized trial, this study assessed the costs of treating conduct disorder with multisystemic therapy (MST) or treatment as usual (TAU) for 156 youth in Sweden. From the perspective of the municipal Social Welfare Administration, all intervention costs were collected for the 6-month period starting at randomization. MST was found to cost, on average, US$8,847 per youth. A course of intervention including MST was found to cost significantly more (US$5,038 per youth) than TAU. Although MST was found to reduce the use of and costs associated with non-placement interventions, MST was not found to reduce the use of or costs associated with placement interventions. This is contrary to findings reported from studies undertaken in the USA. Intent-to-treat (ITT) and treatment-of-treated (TOT) analyses are presented. © 2009 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Conduct disorder

Economic analysis

MST (multisystemic therapy)

Randomized trial

Sweden

Youth

randomized

economic analysis

youth

conduct disorder

trial

MST (multisystemic therapy)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)