title: Youth Perspectives on the Mental Health Treatment Process: What Helps, What Hinders?
abstract: In this study we explored adolescent perceptions of what was most helpful and most challenging about mental health treatment for mood and/or anxiety disorders. Youth seeking treatment at the First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program were recruited to participate in a follow-up survey about their experiences of mental health care services. Responses to two open-ended questions were analyzed for emerging themes and differences between age groups and gender. Males were more likely to report therapy as being helpful than females, 16-18 year olds were more likely to report medication as a challenge to treatment and 19-26 year olds were more likely to report accessing services as a challenge to treatment. Understanding what helps and what hinders treatment-seeking youth can guide both clinical treatment and service delivery models for this population.
authors.affiliation: Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Summerhurst
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 860 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 3H8, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wammes
authors.affiliation: Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wrath
authors.affiliation: Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada. Elizabeth.osuch@lhsc.on.ca.|Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 860 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 3H8, Canada. Elizabeth.osuch@lhsc.on.ca.|London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada. Elizabeth.osuch@lhsc.on.ca.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osuch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009864:Ontario; D011613:Psychotherapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Anxiety; Early intervention; Mental health care; Mood