Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

E-Patient Counseling Trial (E-PACO): Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy

E-Patient Counseling Trial (E-PACO): Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy

Published on: August 1, 2019

Mental health treatment provided by primary care psychologists in The Netherlands

Peter F M Verhaak¹, Hans Kamsma, Anneke van der Niet

¹Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, P.O. Box 1568, 3500 BN, Utrecht, Netherlands. p.verhaak@nivel.nl

Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.)

|January 3, 2013

Abstract

Objective:

The study examined outcomes of clients treated by primary care psychologists in 2010 in the Netherlands.

Methods:

Data for 55,067 clients treated by 613 primary care psychologists were analyzed for three outcomes: regular conclusion of treatment, improvement of >10 points on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and treatment conclusion in eight or fewer sessions. Logistic regression analyses examined relationships between client characteristics and outcome.

Results:

For 73% of clients, treatment reached a regular conclusion, and for 71% of these clients treatment was concluded in eight or fewer sessions. An improvement of >10 GAF points was achieved by 47%. Women, clients with more years of education, those born in the Netherlands, and those with adjustment problems or child problems were more likely to have a regular treatment conclusion and an improvement of >10 GAF points.

Conclusions:

Clients with psychopathology of a low or moderate severity were treated successfully by primary care psychologists.

Related Concept Videos

Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders

Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders

Treatment approaches for psychological disorders fall into three main categories: psychological, biological, and sociocultural. Each approach targets different aspects of mental health, requiring varying levels of education and training.
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...

Community Based Intervention

Community Based Intervention

Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapies emphasize the exploration of unconscious processes and early childhood experiences as fundamental contributors to psychological difficulties. These therapies, deeply rooted in Freud's psychoanalytic theory, aim to uncover and resolve unconscious conflicts, granting individuals insights that promote emotional and behavioral healing. Contemporary psychodynamic approaches have evolved, integrating a broader range of influences and methodologies while still valuing the...

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a versatile, nonmedical approach aimed at helping individuals address emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal issues to enhance their overall well-being. It can involve one-on-one sessions, couples counseling, or small group discussions with a therapist. The therapeutic process includes various techniques such as open discussion, interpretation of thoughts and behaviors, active listening, positive reinforcement, and role modeling. Psychotherapy aims to support individuals in...

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Learning in the moment: simulated patients' engagement in students' meaningful learning during communication training-a stimulated recall study.

Advances in simulation (London, England)·2025

How simulated patients contribute to student learning in an authentic way, an interview study.

Advances in simulation (London, England)·2024

The contribution of simulated patients to meaningful student learning.

Perspectives on medical education·2021

Fatigue among Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors: A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study.

Cancers·2021

Trajectories and determinants of functional limitations in late-life depression: A 2-year prospective cohort study.

European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists·2019

What proportion of initially prescribed antidepressants is still being prescribed chronically after 5 years in general practice? A longitudinal cohort analysis.

BMJ open·2019

See all related articles