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What drives psychotherapists' willingness to treat individuals with spinal cord injury? A cross-sectional study from Germany

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a higher prevalence of mental health problems than the general population but face significant barriers to accessing outpatient psychotherapy. Understanding the factors that influence therapists' willingness to treat this population is critical for improving mental healthcare equity. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online survey among licensed outpatient psychotherapists in Southern Germany. All therapists registered with the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians who had an email address or an online contact form were invited to participate. In total, 677 complete datasets were analyzed in this study. Using logistic regression, we examined the associations between therapists' self-reported willingness to accept a hypothetical therapy request from an individual with SCI and nine potential influencing factors, including personal, emotional, and organizational variables. Results Six variables were significantly associated with the therapists' willingness. Therapists who agreed to provide home-based therapy had higher odds of being in the willing group [OR = 2.28, 95% CI [1.50, 3.46], p < 0.001], as did those who reported a stronger feeling of preparedness [OR = 1.83, 95% CI [1.51, 2.21], p < 0.001] and greater field experience [OR = 1.34, 95% CI [1.11, 1.61], p = 0.002]. In contrast, older age [OR = 0.83, 95% CI [0.74, 0.92], p < 0.001], higher levels of emotional response [OR = 0.82, 95% CI [0.68, 0.99], p = 0.040], and workload concerns [OR = 0.73, 95% CI [0.55, 0.95], p = 0.020] were associated with lower odds of being in the willing group. Conclusion Willingness to provide psychotherapy for individuals with SCI is associated with both modifiable (e.g., training, preparedness, home visit policies) and non-modifiable (e.g., age) factors. These findings highlight the importance of disability-specific education and structural adjustments to reduce access barriers. Although the present study was limited to Southern Germany, reports from other countries, such as Australia and Switzerland, document a low uptake of psychotherapy among individuals with SCI, suggesting that this may represent a broader challenge across healthcare systems. Our results thus contribute to a better understanding of provider-side barriers in Germany and may stimulate further international research into disability-inclusive mental healthcare provision.

Source: Frontiers in Public Health

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1704099