title: Patterns of psychotherapy utilization.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Evanston, Ill.
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: O'Mahoney
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Orlinsky
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: 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