title: Perspectives of Treatment Providers and Clients with Serious Mental Illness Regarding Effective Therapeutic Relationships.
abstract: This study explores the nature of clinical therapeutic relationships between mental health treatment providers and high-need clients with serious mental illness who had recently discontinued treatment. Semi-structured qualitative interviews of 56 clients with serious mental illness who had recently discontinued care and 25 mental health treatment providers were completed. Both clients with serious mental illness and treatment providers emphasized the importance of client-focused goal setting, time and availability of treatment providers, a caring approach, and trust and honesty in the relationship. However, clients with serious mental illness placed greater emphasis on goals involving tangible services, a notable area of discord between the two groups. Individuals with serious mental illness and treatment providers agreed regarding several key elements to a positive clinical relationship. Further attention to client goals related to tangible services may serve to improve relationships between treatment providers and high-need clients with serious mental illness.
authors.affiliation: College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Easter
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.affiliation: Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York State Office of Mental Health, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Leah Gogel
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.affiliation: George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wisdom
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA. tes2001@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D055815:Young Adult