Reducing the premature termination of children from psychotherapy through research based program evaluation

Reducing the premature termination of children from psychotherapy through research based program evaluation. (2008). Reducing the premature termination of children from psychotherapy through research based program evaluation.

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Title	Reducing the premature termination of children from psychotherapy through research based program evaluation
Abstract	This study attempts to understand the reasons behind premature termination from psychotherapy by children and their families. It attempts to supply research based recommendations for two different mental health settings in an effort to reduce the rate of premature termination that they experience from their programs. The programs that were examined were the Center for Applied Psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (CAP) and the Community Guidance Center (CGC), both located in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Premature termination from therapy is a serious problem in the delivery of psychological services across populations. Some researchers estimate rates of premature termination from therapy to approach rates as high as 60% (Kazdin, 1998). Much of the research on premature termination from therapy has been conducted on adult populations with substantially less research conducted upon premature termination from therapy as it occurs among children (Pekarik & Stephenson, 1988). This is in contrast to epidemiological data that finds prevalence rates of mental illness in children to run at 16% in the United States (Benway et al., 2003). Of those children determined to need mental health services, 70% do not receive appropriate services. The problem of premature termination further exacerbates the dilemma of providing these needed services to children. Much research attests to the efficacy of therapy for children, thus, a better understanding of how to facilitate treatment compliance, including attendance, throughout the proscribed course of therapy, is needed (Benway et al., 2003, Kovacs & Lohr, 1995). However, much of the literature on the reduction of premature termination from therapy by children and their families is emergent and contradictory (Snell-Johns, Mendez, & Smith, 2004). A thorough review of the current literature was conducted to support the hypotheses developed in this study. Client files were reviewed to ascertain if therapists followed on-site procedures when instances of premature termination occurred. Site policies were examined to determine their efficacy in regards to addressing the problem of premature termination. Chi-Square analysis was conducted upon two data sets from the CGC to determine if recently enacted policy changes had an effect upon premature termination rates. Results indicated that student-therapists at the CAP were far less likely to follow on-site procedures for addressing premature termination than therapists at the CGC. Research based recommendations were created in an effort to aid these mental health providers reduce the rate of premature termination from psychotherapy by children and their families.
Date	2008

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Title: Reducing the premature termination of children from psychotherapy through research based program evaluation
Personal Name(s): Dunn, Candice J.
Goodwin, Beverly J.
Corporate Name(s): Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Psychology.
Note: Publisher info.: Dissertation/Thesis.
Advisors: Goodwin, Beverly J. Committee members: Kimberely Husenits; Ralph May.
Topical Subject(s): Psychotherapy