12-Step Programs to Reduce Illicit Drug Use

Many treatments are not rigorously evaluated as to their effectiveness, and it is uncertain which types of interventions are more effective than others in reducing illicit drug use. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic mapping of the research literature of the effectiveness of 12-step programs in reducing illicit drug use. A systematic literature search was conducted based on 17 international and Nordic bibliographic databases. A total of 15,993 references were screened, and eleven unique studies were finally included in this mapping. The included studies demonstrated conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of the 12-step treatment and TSF in reducing individuals' drug use. Two studies reported a positive effect of the TSF treatment compared to the comparison conditions in reducing drug use. Six studies reported no differences between the 12-step program and the comparison condition, and the remaining three studies reported a greater effect of the comparison condition. However, the included studies demonstrate that, in general, 12-step programs and the comparison conditions have some positive effects in reducing drug use and supporting abstinence among the participants

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) for young people in treatment for non-opioid drug use: a systematic review.

Youth drug use is a severe problem worldwide. Usage of cannabis, amphetamine ecstasy and cocaine, referred to here as non-opioid drugs, are strongly associated with a range of health and social problems. Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is a short-term, manual-based, behaviorally oriented family therapy program for young people with behavior problems such as drug abuse, juvenile delinquency and violence. Delivered in an outpatient setting, it aims to help young people and their families by improving family interactions and relationship functioning by addressing dysfunctional individual behavior. As with many other forms of family therapy, FFT targets young people and their families as a system. As such, it recognizes the important role of the family system in the development and treatment of young people’s drug abuse problems. The main aim of this review is to evaluate the current evidence on the effects of FFT on drug abuse reduction for young people in treatment for non-opioid drug use. The literature search yielded a total of 6,719 records, which were screened for eligibility based on title and abstract. From these, 108 potentially relevant records were retrieved and screened in full text, of which 9 records were potentially relevant. Finally, two studies based on three records were included in the review. Meta-analysis was not possible because only one study provided numerical results on the effect of FFT on drug use reduction. Two studies were included and both analyzed relative effects, comparing FFT to other interventions. Only one study provided numerical results on drug use reduction comparing FFT to two other interventions (CBT and a group intervention). The reported results indicate a positive effect favoring FFT on drug use frequency at 4-month follow up, with no statistically significant difference at 7-month follow up. There is insufficient firm evidence to allow any conclusion to be drawn on the effect of FFT for young people in treatment for non-opioid drug use. There is a need for more research, and particularly for more methodologically rigorous studies in the field of treatment for young drug users. The aim of this systematic review was to explore what is known about the effectiveness of FFT for the purpose of reducing youth drug use. The evidence found does not provide a basis for drawing conclusions about actual outcomes and impacts. Consequently, no substantive conclusion on the effectiveness can be made, neither supporting nor rejecting of the present FFT treatment approach

Labour Market Programmes and the Equity-Efficiency Trade-off

This paper studies labour market policy in a society where differently gifted individuals can invest in training to further increase their labour market productivity and where the government seeks both effiency and equity. Frictions in the matching process create unemployment and differently skilled workers face different unemployment risks. We show that in such an environment, training programmes that are targeted to the unemployed complement passive transfers (UI benefits), unlike a general training subsidy. Combining passive subsidies with a training subsidy conditioned on the individual being unemployed (for a while) - the typical Active Labour Market Programme - implies a favorable trade-off between equity and efficiency which encourages high spending on training

Social Preferences and Labor Market Policy

We find that the main featues of labor policy across OECD countries can be explained by a simple general equilibrium search model with risk neutral agents and a government that chooses policy to maximize a social welfare function. In equilibrum, policies are chosen to optimal redistribute income from advantaged to disadvantaged workers. A worker can be disadvantaged in the sense that they may have less ability to aquire and utilize skills in the workplace. The model explains why passive benefits tend to fall and active benefits tend to increase during the course of unemployment spell. The model also explains why countries that appear to pursue equity spend more on both active and passive labor market programs

Small class sizes for improving student achievement in primary and secondary schools: a systematic review

Reducing class size is seen as a way of improving student performance. But larger class sizes help control education budgets. The evidence suggests at best a small effect on reading achievement. There is a negative, but statistically insignificant, effect on mathematics, so it cannot be ruled out that some children may be adversely affected. A total of 127 studies, consisting of 148 papers, met the inclusion criteria. These 127 studies analysed 55 different populations from 41 different countries. A large number of studies (45) analysed data from the Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) experiment which was for class size reduction in grade K-3 in the US in the eighties. However only ten studies, including four of the STAR programme, could be included in the meta-analysis. For the non-STAR studies the primary study effect sizes for reading were close to zero but the weighted average was positive and statistically significant. There was some inconsistency in the direction of the primary study effect sizes for mathematics and the weighted average effect was negative and statistically non-significant. The STAR results are more positive, but do not change the overall finding. All reported results from the studies analysing STAR data indicated a positive effect of smaller class sizes for both reading and maths, but the average effects are small

Stick, Carrot and Skill Acquisition

We evaluate the impact of specially designed youth unemployment programmes (YUPs), intended to provide young unemployed unskilled workers with skills. If unemployment among skilled workers is lower than among unskilled workers, YUPs imply that unemployment falls. However, YUPs potentially crowd out ordinary training. We set up an equilibrium matching model with endogenous skill choice and examine the impact of an increase in programme participation. We derive a condition for crowding out of ordinary training, as well as a condition for an increase in the skilled labour force and thereby reduced unemployment. The impact of YUPs on welfare and wage dispersion is also considered. Copyright The editors of the "Scandinavian Journal of Economics", 2005 .

Is Unemployment Always Higher when Insiders Decide?

This paper challenges the traditional view that unemployment is high because insiders determine the union wage. The insiders in this paper are characterized by being more efficient when they search for a job than the outsiders, implying that they experience relatively less unemployment. We assume that wages are determined by a monopoly union and further that a union leader is elected by a majority voting rule. Insiders may prefer a lower wage than outsiders, implying the possibility of lower unemployment when insiders are decisive in the union than if outsiders were decisive in the union.Insiders and outsiders; Search; Uemployment

DOES ACTIVE LABOUR MARKET POLICY REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT WHEN SEARCH IS ENDOGENOUS?

We analyse the effects active labour market programmes (ALMPs) have on unemployment in a union wage-setting framework when search is endogenous. We assume that a union president, elected by majority voting determines the wage. We analyse the case where ALMPs increase match efficiency of the marginalized workers, and show that ALMPs may increase unemployment.Endogenous Search; Active Labour Market Policy; Unemployment