Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians
[Background] Why clients discontinue their psychotherapies has attracted more attention recently as it is a major problem for many healthcare services. Studies suggest that dropout rates may be affected by the mode of therapy, low-quality therapeutic alliance, low SES, and by conditions such persona...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Clinical Psychology in Europe |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cpe.psychopen.eu/index.php/cpe/article/view/6695 |
| _version_ | 1797969334760374272 |
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| author | Niclas Kullgard Rolf Holmqvist Gerhard Andersson |
| author_facet | Niclas Kullgard Rolf Holmqvist Gerhard Andersson |
| author_sort | Niclas Kullgard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | [Background] Why clients discontinue their psychotherapies has attracted more attention recently as it is a major problem for many healthcare services. Studies suggest that dropout rates may be affected by the mode of therapy, low-quality therapeutic alliance, low SES, and by conditions such personality disorders or substance abuse. The aims of the study were to investigate what happens in therapies which end in a dropout, and to estimate how common dropout is as reported by practicing clinicians. [Method] An online questionnaire was developed and completed by 116 therapists working in clinical settings. They were recruited via social media (Facebook and different online psychotherapy groups) in Sweden and worked with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy (PDT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Integrative Psychotherapy (IP). [Results] Psychotherapists rated the frequency of premature dropout in psychotherapy to be on average 8.89% (MD = 5, SD = 8.34, Range = 0-50%). The most common reasons for a dropout, as stated by the therapists, were that clients were not satisfied with the type of intervention offered, or that clients did not benefit from the treatment as they had expected. The most common feeling following a dropout was self-doubt. [Conclusion] In conclusion, premature dropout is common in clinical practice and has negative emotional consequences for therapists. Premature dropout may lead to feelings of self-doubt and powerlessness among therapists. The therapeutic alliance was mostly rated as good in dropout therapies. Further research is needed to validate the findings with data on the prevalence and subjective reasons behind a dropout from point of view of clients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:59:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6501da1d9dbb4036b91695c554b0c485 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2625-3410 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:59:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Psychology in Europe |
| spelling | doaj.art-6501da1d9dbb4036b91695c554b0c4852023-01-02T14:21:36ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyClinical Psychology in Europe2625-34102022-06-014210.32872/cpe.6695cpe.6695Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by CliniciansNiclas Kullgard0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2445-0079Rolf Holmqvist1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2093-2510Gerhard Andersson2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4753-6745Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden[Background] Why clients discontinue their psychotherapies has attracted more attention recently as it is a major problem for many healthcare services. Studies suggest that dropout rates may be affected by the mode of therapy, low-quality therapeutic alliance, low SES, and by conditions such personality disorders or substance abuse. The aims of the study were to investigate what happens in therapies which end in a dropout, and to estimate how common dropout is as reported by practicing clinicians. [Method] An online questionnaire was developed and completed by 116 therapists working in clinical settings. They were recruited via social media (Facebook and different online psychotherapy groups) in Sweden and worked with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy (PDT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Integrative Psychotherapy (IP). [Results] Psychotherapists rated the frequency of premature dropout in psychotherapy to be on average 8.89% (MD = 5, SD = 8.34, Range = 0-50%). The most common reasons for a dropout, as stated by the therapists, were that clients were not satisfied with the type of intervention offered, or that clients did not benefit from the treatment as they had expected. The most common feeling following a dropout was self-doubt. [Conclusion] In conclusion, premature dropout is common in clinical practice and has negative emotional consequences for therapists. Premature dropout may lead to feelings of self-doubt and powerlessness among therapists. The therapeutic alliance was mostly rated as good in dropout therapies. Further research is needed to validate the findings with data on the prevalence and subjective reasons behind a dropout from point of view of clients.https://cpe.psychopen.eu/index.php/cpe/article/view/6695premature dropoutpsychotherapy dropoutpsychotherapytherapeutic alliance |
| spellingShingle | Niclas Kullgard Rolf Holmqvist Gerhard Andersson Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians Clinical Psychology in Europe premature dropout psychotherapy dropout psychotherapy therapeutic alliance |
| title | Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians |
| title_full | Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians |
| title_fullStr | Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians |
| title_short | Premature Dropout From Psychotherapy: Prevalence, Perceived Reasons and Consequences as Rated by Clinicians |
| title_sort | premature dropout from psychotherapy prevalence perceived reasons and consequences as rated by clinicians |
| topic | premature dropout psychotherapy dropout psychotherapy therapeutic alliance |
| url | https://cpe.psychopen.eu/index.php/cpe/article/view/6695 |
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