Abstract
The present investigation was an attempt to determine characteristics of those who appeared versus those who did not appear for initial intake evaluation appointments at a traditional community mental center. Subjects were 189 individuals contacting the center for service from November of 1989 to April of 1990. Data were collected via self-report questionnaire and blind rating by clinical social workers of presenting problem for diagnostic category. Data analysis involved Chi-square procedures and Analysis of Variance. Those who appeared for initial appointment versus those who did not were differentiated with respect to employment versus unemployment, length of unemployment, tenure at current job, number of jobs in the past year, number of residences in the past year, tenure at current residence and number of marriages. Groups did not differ with respect to age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, income, educational attainment, legal difficulties, public assistance, referral sources, alcohol/drug problems, and a variety of variables related to mental health or treatment history and diagnostic category. Results were interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that attendance was related to recent life stability as opposed to more general demographic and socioeconomic factors and clinically related variables. Implications for increasing treatment utilization, particularly by those who are underserved in community mental health, were discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Burgoyne, R.W., Acosta, F.X., & Yamamoto, J. (1983). Telephone prompting to increase attendance at a psychiatric outpatient clinic.American Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 345–347.
Carpenter, P.J., Morrow, G.R., DelGaudio, A.C., & Ritzler, B.A. (1981). Who keeps the first appointment?American Journal of Psychiatry, 138(1), 102–105.
Dworkin, R.J. & Adams, G.L. (1987). Retention of Hispanics in public sector mental health services.Community Mental Health Journal, 23(3), 204–216.
Errera, P., Davenport, P., & Decker, L. (1965). Pre-intake dropout in a psychiatric clinic.Mental Hygiene, 49, 558–562.
Faines, T. (1978). Factors influencing failure to show for a family evaluation.International Journal of Family Counseling, 6, 57–61.
Garfield, S.L. (1978). Research on client variables in psychotherapy. In A.E. Bergin & S.L. Garfield (Eds.).Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change, New York: Wiley.
Garrison, J.E. (1978). Written versus verbal preparation of patients for group psychotherapy.Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 15(2), 130–134.
Gottsfield, H. and Martinez, H. (1972). The first psychiatric interview: Patients who do not come.Psychological Reports, 31, 776–778.
Gould, R.L., Paulson, I., & Daniel-Epps, L. (1970). Patients who flirt with treatment: The silent population.American Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 39(4), 494–497.
Hayden, L.D., Beck, N.C., Kunie, J.T. & Heisler, G.H. (1983). Facilitating psychiatric patient follow-up: A study of transfer attrition.Journal of Psychology, 39(4), 494–497.
Hochstadt, N.J., & Trybula, J. (1980). Reducing missed initial appointments in a community mental health center.Journal of Community Psychology, 8, 261–265.
Kluger, M.P., & Karras, A. (1983). Strategies for reducing missed initial appointments in a community mental health center.Community Mental Health Journal, 19(2), 137–143.
Krause, M.S. (1966). Comparative effects on continuance of four experimental intake procedures.Social Casework, 47, 515–519.
Lowman, R.L., DeLarge, W.H., Roberts, T.R., & Brady, C.P. (1984). Users and teasers: Failure to follow through with initial mental health services inquiries in child and family treatment center.Journal of Community Psychology, 12, 253–261.
Noonan, J.R. (1973). A follow-up of pretherapy dropouts.Journal of Community Psychology, 1, 43–44.
Parnell, T., Schulman, A., Hershorn, M. (1991). Increasing intake appointments attendance at a community mental health center. Poster session presented at the 99th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, California.
Planos, R., & Glenwick, D.S. (1986). The effects of prompts on minority children's screening attendance at a community mental health center.Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 8(2), 5–13.
Raynes, A.E., & Warren, G. (1971). Some distinguishing features of patients failing to attend a psychiatric clinic after referral.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 41, 581–588.
Rosenberg, C.M. & Raynes, A.E. (1973). Dropouts from treatment.Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal, 18, 229–233.
Sue, S., McKinney, H.L., Allen, D.B. & Hall, J. (1974). Delivery of community mental health services to black and white clients.Community Mental Health Journal, 12, 365–375.
Swenson, T.R., & Pekarik, G. (1988). Interventions for reducing missed initial appointments at a community mental health center.Community Mental Health Journal, 24(3), 205–218.
Turner, A.J. & Vernon, J.C. (1976). Prompts to increase attendance in a community mental health center.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 9, 141–145.
Weighill, V.E., Hodge, J.T. & Peck, D.F. (1983). Keeping appointments with clinical psychologists.British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 22, 143–144.
Wolkon, G.H. (1972). Crisis theory, the application for treatment, and dependency.Comprehensive Psychiatry, 13:5, 459–463.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Partial funding for the present study was provided by the Office of the Dean, School of Psychology, Nova University.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hershorn, M. The elusive population: Characteristics of attenders versus non-attenders for community mental health center intakes. Community Ment Health J 29, 49–57 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00760630
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00760630