Objective: To review a 40-year collaborative partnership between clinical researchers and clinicians, in developing, investigating and implementing Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT).
Method: First, to review theory, practice and studies related to this evidenced-based therapy intervention targeting adolescent drug abuse and delinquency. Second, to present the BSFT Implementation Model created for the BSFT intervention-a model that parallels many of the recommendations from the implementation science literature.
Results: Specific challenges encountered during the BSFT implementation process are reviewed, along with ways of conceptualizing and addressing these challenges from a systemic perspective.
Conclusion: The BSFT implementation uses the same systemic principles and intervention techniques as those that underlie the BSFT clinical model. Building on our on-the-ground experiences, recommendations are proposed for advancing the field of implementation science.
Keywords: family therapy; implementation; intervention research.