Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: High rates of dropout are common among adolescents in therapy making efforts to reduce adolescent psychopathology and behavioral problems challenging. The present study examined archival data from multiple informants who enrolled in a 16-week intensive outpatient treatment program for self-harming youth. The purpose of this study was to assess potential predictors of treatment dropout. Preliminary analysis indicated that adolescents who dropped out of treatment did not make clinically significant improvements when compared with adolescents who completed the program. This supports the need to retain adolescents in treatment for a complete course of treatment. The study also found that for the most part youth and parent YOQ subscale scores at pretreatment failed to identify reasons for discharge (graduate versus dropout). The sole predictor of dropout was adolescent reported intrapersonal distress assessed at pre-treatment. Specifically, results indicated that adolescents reporting lower degrees of intrapersonal distress at pretreatment were more at risk of dropping out of the program than their peers. By identifying predictors of dropout, clinicians can modify treatment and hopefully reduce dropout rates and improve outcomes for participants in the SHIELD program.
Author: David A. Mitchell
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Loma Linda University
OpenAlex ID: W2344352242