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Description
Abstract: Adolescent aggressive behavior represents a severe public health challenge.This study examines the effectiveness of Mentalization-Based Family Therapy (MBFT) in reducing aggression and improving parent-child triangulation among adolescents. A quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and 3-month follow-up involved 30 adolescents (aged 12-18) with aggressive behaviors from a counseling center in Beijing.. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=15) or control (n=15) groups. The experimental group received 12 weekly 90-minute MBFT sessions and a control group receiving no intervention. Measures included the Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire Chinese Revised Version (BWAQ-RC) and the Parent-Child Triangulation Rating Scale (PCTR). Data analysis via mixed ANOVA resulted indicated that MBFT significantly reduced aggression (F = 45.67, η² = 0.62, p < 0.001) and parent-child triangulation (F = 18.94, η² = 0.40, p < 0.001). Improvements in aggression were sustained at follow-up, while triangulation scores showed slight attenuation. These findings demonstrate that MBFT enhances mentalization, restructures family interaction patterns, and promotes emotional regulation, thereby effectively addressing adolescent aggression and relational dysfunction. MBFT is recommended as an evidence-based intervention for improving adolescent mental health and family functioning.
Keywords: Example, Adolescent Aggression, Parent-Child Triangulation, Mentalization-Based Family Therapy
