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Reasons for terminating psychotherapy: a general population study.

Robin Westmacott¹, John Hunsley

¹University of Ottawa, Canada. rwest023@uottawa.ca

Journal of Clinical Psychology

|August 10, 2010

Summary

Most clients end psychotherapy feeling better. However, some stop due to dissatisfaction or wanting to self-manage, particularly those with lower income or certain mental health disorders like anxiety or substance dependence.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Psychiatry
Mental Health Services Research

Background:

Understanding why clients terminate psychotherapy is crucial for improving treatment retention and outcomes.
Client-reported reasons for ending therapy can vary significantly based on individual circumstances and clinical factors.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine clients' reasons for ending psychotherapy.
To investigate associations between termination reasons and client demographics, mental disorder severity, and service provider type.

Main Methods:

A study involving 693 clients examined their self-reported reasons for psychotherapy termination.
Statistical analyses explored correlations between termination reasons and demographic data, mental disorder caseness, and healthcare service provider type.

Main Results:

The primary reason for termination was feeling improved; however, a notable portion cited treatment dissatisfaction or a desire for independent problem-solving.
Lower income was linked to reduced likelihood of terminating due to feeling better and increased likelihood of perceiving therapy as unhelpful.
Diagnoses of anxiety, mood, or substance use disorders were associated with lower odds of terminating due to feeling better.

Conclusions:

Client-reported reasons for psychotherapy termination are multifaceted, influenced by socioeconomic status and clinical diagnoses.
Addressing treatment dissatisfaction and supporting clients' perceived self-efficacy are key to enhancing psychotherapy completion rates.
These findings highlight challenges in successful psychotherapy completion and inform strategies for better client retention.