Patient-reported reasons for discontinuing psychotherapy in a low-cost psychoanalytic community clinic

Abstract

Using data from an outcome study of adult individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy, conducted in a low-cost Australian clinic, a mixed-methods approach was employed to investigate patient discontinuation. This paper addresses the qualitative component of the discontinuation study, which explored patients’ reasons for leaving the clinic service upon assessment or in treatment proper. Of 205 patients commencing clinic contact, 41% discontinued during or shortly after the four-week assessment period, while 40.5% of patients beginning psychotherapy withdrew before reaching the two-year treatment limit. Across these two groups, former patients were interviewed about their therapy experience and de..