The Examination of Factors in Dropouts in a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Out-Patient Clinic

Abstract

AIM: Premature termination of ongoing treatment may lead to insufficient or ineffective treatment and enduring symptoms of the disorder. The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between dropout and diagnosis, treatment modality, and sociodemographic characteristics of children.

MATERIALS&METHODS: The sample consisted of 104 patients (aged 10.7±4.4 years), attended to a university hospital child and adolescent psychiatry out-patient clinic. The sociodemographic variables and diagnosis were obtained from the medical files. Analysis were performed in children with externalizing (n:42) and internalizing (n:33) disorders, due to low frequency of other diagnosis.

RESULTS: Vast majority of patients were boys (n=66, 63.5%). The engagement into treatment was found significantly related only with patient age, mean age was higher in those who engaged into treatment (11.90±3.85 and 9.78±5.12 years respectively, p:0.038). Children treated with medication engaged into treatment more than children treated with therapies (p:0.001). Gender, diagnosis, maternal and paternal education levels were not correlated with patient engagement.

CONCLUSION: Because treatment engagement is necessary to use time and effort labor effectively, protective factors from drop-outs, such as dynamic factors and many other characteristics of patient, family and mental health system continue to be investigated in order to increase treatment engagement.