Home  «  Program  « 

The Seven Challenges® (7C)

Scientific Rating:
3
Promising Research Evidence
See scale of 1-5
Child Welfare Relevance Level:
Medium

See descriptions of 3 levels

Note: The 7C program was not responsive to the CEBC's inquiry. The following information was obtained from publicly available sources.

Brief Description

The The Seven Challenges® (7C) program has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Substance Abuse Treatment (Adolescent).

  • Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
  • Target Population: Not Specified

The 7C program is designed specifically for adolescents with drug problems, to motivate a decision and commitment to change - and to support success in implementing the desired changes. The program simultaneously helps young people address their drug problems as well as their co-occurring life skill deficits, situational problems, and psychological problems. The challenges provide a framework for helping youth think through their own decisions about their lives and their use of alcohol and other drugs. Counselors using 7C teaches youth to identify and work on the issues most relevant to them. In sessions, as youth discuss the issues that matter most, counselors seamlessly integrate the Challenges as part of the conversation.

The Seven Challenges are:

  1. We decided to open up and talk honestly about ourselves and about alcohol and other drugs.
  2. We looked at what we liked about alcohol and other drugs, and why we were using them.
  3. We looked at our use of alcohol or other drugs to see if it has caused harm or could cause harm.
  4. We looked at our responsibility and the responsibility of others for our problems.
  5. We thought about where we seemed to be headed, where we wanted to go, and what we wanted to accomplish.
  6. We made thoughtful decisions about our lives and about our use of alcohol and other drugs.
  7. We followed through on our decisions about our lives and drug use. If we saw problems, we went back to earlier challenges and mastered them.

Education and Training Resources

Publicly available information indicates there is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is some training available for this program.
See contact info below.

Training Contact:

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

This program is rated a "3 - Promising Research Evidence" on the Scientific Rating Scale based on the published, peer-reviewed research available. The practice must have at least one study utilizing some form of control (e.g., untreated group, placebo group, matched wait list study) establishing the practice's benefit over the placebo, or found it to be comparable to or better than an appropriate comparison practice. Please see the Scientific Rating Scale for more information.

Child Welfare Outcome: Child/Family Well-Being

Show relevant research...

Smith, D. C., Hall, J. A., Williams, J. K., An, H., & Gotman, N. (2006). Comparative efficacy of family and group treatment for adolescent substance abuse. The American Journal on Addictions, 15, 131-136.

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 98

Population:

  • Age range — 12-18 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — 24% non-Caucasian (does not specify more)
  • Gender — 71% Male, 29% Female
  • Status — Youth referred to adolescent outpatient treatment for substance abuse with the majority experiencing current juvenile justice system involvement.

Location / Institution: In collaboration with the Mid-Eastern Council on Chemical Abuse (MECCA) treatment center.

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
The study evaluated the efficacy of Strengths-Oriented Family Therapy (SOFT) and The Seven Challenges® (7C) in a subset of subjects from a larger longitudinal study.  Data was examined for subjects who had completed both baseline and six-month assessments. Adolescents who qualified for outpatient treatment and agreed to participate in the study were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments and assessed at 3 and 6-months following baseline. Typically, all SOFT sessions were provided within the first three months following baseline, and 7C participants received approximately 25 hours within the first three months. Measures used included two Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) scales: the Substance Frequency Scale (SFS) and Substance Problem Scale (SPS). Using a two-part, random-effects model, the study examined the odds of achieving abstinence or full symptom remission between treatments and over time. Both SOFT and 7C participants experienced significantly reduced odds of continued use (SFS) and substance-related problems (SPS) at months 3 and 6 following baseline, but outcomes did not differ between groups. Limitations included treatment manuals finalized during the initial months of the study, the intervention format was modified for rural clients, adolescents met in open groups with non-study participants, results may not generalized due to limited insurance eligibility, and it was difficult to adequately assess therapist effects.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: 3 months.

Stevens, S. J., Schwebel, R., & Ruiz, B. (2007). The Seven Challenges: An effective treatment for adolescents with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 7(3), 29-49.

Type of Study: One group pretest/posttest design
Number of Participants: 36

Population:

  • Age range — 13-17 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — 53% Caucasian, 31% Latino, 17% Bi-racial
  • Gender — 75% Male, 25% Female
  • Status — Participants were enrolled in an intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment program for drug and alcohol abuse and were in clinical range for general mental distress.

Location / Institution: Providence Service Corporation

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
The study examined mental health outcomes (substance-related issues and mental health issues) for adolescents participating in The Seven Challenges® (7C) program over 2 months at an intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment center. Measures were conducted during interviews and included two Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) scales: the Substance Frequency Scale (SFS) and Substance Problem Scale (SPS), as well as the Treatment Motivation Index (TMI), General Mental Stress Index (GMSI), Depressive Symptom Index (DSI), and the Anxiety Symptom Index (ASI). The computed variables were used to conduct paired sample t-tests from baseline to 3 months and baseline to 6 months. Results indicated that the two substance-related variables (SPS and SFS) showed significant decreases in scores at 3 and 6 months. The TMI also demonstrated a significant reduction at 3 and 6 months. All three variables (GMSI, DSI, and ASI) reflected significant reductions in scores from baseline to 3 and 6 months. Limitations included small sample size and a reliance on self-report data regarding substance use, as opposed to direct tests.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: 1 and 4 months.

References

Schwebel, R. (2004). The Seven Challenges manual. Viva Press: Tucson, AZ

Schwebel, R. (2000). The Seven Challenges journals. Viva Press: Tucson, AZ

Schwebel, R. (1995). The Seven Challenges: Challenging ourselves to make wise decisions about alcohol and other drugs. Viva Press: Tucson, AZ.

Contact Information

Name: Sharon Conner
Title: Director of Program Services
Agency/Affiliation: The Seven Challenges, LLC
Website: www.sevenchallenges.com
Email:
Phone: (520) 405-4559

Date Reviewed: January 2011