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Intermittent brief psychotherapy in an HMO setting.
L B Siddall1, N A Haffey, J A Feinman
1Mental Health Service, Amherst Medical Center, MA 01002.
American Journal of Psychotherapy
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Many patients return for intermittent brief psychotherapy, finding it helpful. This suggests ongoing support is valuable for navigating life changes and developmental challenges.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
Background:
- Intermittent psychotherapy is an emerging treatment modality.
- Healthcare Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are exploring flexible treatment options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utilization and characteristics of intermittent brief psychotherapy in an HMO.
- To understand patient motivations for returning to therapy.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory study design.
- Analysis of patient treatment requests over a four-month period.
- Review of patient history and treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- Returning patients constituted 27% of treatment requests within four months.
- Most patients reported previous therapy as beneficial.
- A significant portion of patients sought re-treatment due to developmental changes or life transitions.
Conclusions:
- Intermittent brief psychotherapy is a utilized service in HMO settings.
- Patient satisfaction with prior therapy encourages return.
- This model may effectively address needs arising from normal development and life transitions.