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Payment schedules do not affect attendance/completion of group behavioral parent training
Scott A Jensen1, Lynda S Lowry
1Department of Psychology, University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211, USA. sjensen@pacific.edu
Psychological Services
|March 28, 2012
Summary
Payment schedules for group therapy did not impact session attendance or program completion. Income level showed a minor correlation with attendance in behavioral parent training programs.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Psychology
- Health Services Research
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Clinician concerns persist regarding the impact of payment on therapy attendance.
- Existing research on payment's effect on individual therapy attendance is limited.
- The influence of payment on group treatment attendance remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between fee payment (timing and amount) and attendance in group therapy.
- To examine if varying payment schedules affect participation in a behavioral parent training program.
- To explore the connection between income-based fee structures and program attendance.
Main Methods:
- A 10-week behavioral parent training (BPT) program was utilized.
- Participants were assigned to varying payment schedules and fee amounts based on income.
- Attendance at sessions and program completion were tracked.
Main Results:
- Varying payment schedules did not significantly affect attendance at payment-due sessions.
- Payment schedules did not influence overall program completion rates.
- A slight correlation was observed between income group and session attendance.
Conclusions:
- Fee payment timing and amount do not appear to be significant barriers to attendance in this group therapy setting.
- Income level may have a small, but measurable, impact on participation.
- Findings contribute to understanding financial factors in group psychotherapy attendance.
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