20 Minute Guide
- Online Tool
- Scientifically Informed
This 20 Minute Guide provides parents with a variety of skills to help motivate their child to engage in and sustain positive behavior change. It also presents specific skills using evidence-based approaches, including the CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training), which helps parents learn how to reinforce positive changes in their children and communicate more effectively, while at the same time learning how to take care of themselves throughout the process of caring for a loved one with a substance use disorder.
“Research suggests that families can set the stage for positive change with a more effective approach found in CRAFT.” Read this overview to learn more about the principles of CRAFT.
How to Use
Use the icons at the top of the page to navigate through the guide. You can go in any order and go back to them as many times as you want. You’ll find the following sections:
- Helping With Understanding
- Helping With Self Care
- Helping With Words
- Helping With Actions
Each topic is explained in detail and includes information on how to use certain skills to encourage change in your child and yourself. Worksheets are provided with examples to show you how CRAFT strategies look in action. You can use the worksheets to practice the skills.
Who Should Use
Any concerned parent that is looking for guidance on how to help their child who is using substances, or engaging in other risky behaviors, may find this resource helpful. This includes parents and family members of young adolescents (12-16), parents of older teens/young adults (17-25), and parents of adult children.
Scientifically Informed
This resource is provided by the Center for Motivational Change (CMC), an organization made up of psychologists, clinicians and researchers working to provide better, more effective and more respectful treatment for people struggling with substance use.
Content in the guidebook is based on a combination of many different, evidence-based approaches, including Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT), elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), as well as the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). There are multiple publications and citations that reference the evidence-based practices found in this guide, including the following:
Godley, S.H., Smith, J.E. Meyers, R.J., & Godley, M.D. (2009). Adolescent community reinforcement approach (A-CRA). In D.W. Springer, & A. Rubin (Eds.), Substance abuse treatment for youth and adults. John Wiley & Sons, Inc Hoboken New Jersey.
Smith, J. E., & Meyers, R. J. (2009) Community reinforcement and family training. Encyclopedia of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery.
