Patterns of psychotherapy utilization.
Epidemiologic research indicates that a small minority of patients make the great majority of outpatient mental health visits. This small group of long-term patients constitutes the bulk of psychotherapeutic practice and creates a disproportionate impression on mental health professionals. The authors confirmed this finding by studying 405 patients in a clinical setting with an orientation toward long-term psychotherapy: 68% of the patients attended 26 or fewer psychotherapy sessions, representing 23.3% of the total number of sessions used by all patients; 32% attended more than 26 sessions, representing 77% of the total number of sessions used by all patients.
Howard
K I
KI
Institute of Psychiatry, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Evanston, Ill.
Davidson
C V
CV
O'Mahoney
M T
MT
Orlinsky
D E
DE
Brown
K P
KP
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011570:Psychiatry; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D011584:Psychology; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013997:Time Factors