Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of school-based depression prevention programs in reducing depressive symptoms and improving functioning. This study examined whether these programs have positive effects on school-related outcomes. Students at 10 middle and high schools in New Jersey were randomized to weekly sessions of…

Objective: Rates of nonattendance for psychotherapy hinder the effective delivery of evidence-based treatments. Although many strategies have been developed to increase attendance, the effectiveness of these strategies has not been quantified. Our aim in the present study was to undertake a meta-analysis of rigorously controlled studies to…

The present study evaluated an implementation intention intervention that aimed to increase attendance at scheduled, initial appointments for psychotherapy by helping clients to manage negative feelings about attendance. Participants received a postal questionnaire that measured their views about attending psychotherapy. One half of the sample was…

Psychiatric outpatient clinics report that between 20 and 57% of their potential clients fail to return after the first visit. To examine the effectiveness of videotaped, systematic client preparation on dropout rate in short-term psychotherapy, 66 adult, beginning psychotherapy clients were randomly assigned either to a control or experimental…

Studied adults who requested outpatient psychotherapy. Questionnaire items concerned the client's situation, past behavior in fulfilling commitments, self-prediction of session attendance, and reaction to the initial interview. A critical response scale proved highly predictive of the number of treatment sessions attended in both initial and…

Data from public and private sectors reveal that few persons stay in psychotherapy long enough to be classified as "long-term" clients. Those who do remain in psychotherapy for a long time are rarely studied because attention has generally been focused on terminators. Demographic, treatment, and psychometric characteristics of 64 long-term…

Rated community mental health clinic clients after the initial session. Therapist ratings of client behavior were related significantly to subsequent attendance. Early dropouts were characterized by youth and a lower education level. They were less likely to be employed and more likely to have diagnosed personality disorders. (Author/JAC)