Factors associated with treatment continuation: implications for the treatment of drug dependence.

Abstract

It is well known and problematic that a significant number of people who suffer from a diagnosable disorder do not seek out and receive the mental health services they need (e.g., Vessey and Howard 1993). Even among those who do seek treatment, many do not accept the recommended regimen. For example, the majority of people who initiate psychotherapy terminate relatively early in the process (Craig and Huffine 1976; Garfield 1994; Sue et al. 1976). In Garfield’s (1994) review, the median duration of treatment was between five and eight sessions in studies where patients had received at least one session of psychotherapy.