Epidemiologic research indicates that a small minority of patients make
the great majority of outpatient mental health visits. This small group of
long-term patients constitutes the bulk of psychotherapeutic practice and
creates a disproportionate impression on mental health professionals. The
authors confirmed this finding by studying 405 patients in a clinical
setting with an orientation toward long-term psychotherapy: 68% of the
patients attended 26 or fewer psychotherapy sessions, representing 23.3% of
the total number of sessions used by all patients; 32% attended more than
26 sessions, representing 77% of the total number of sessions used by all
patients.Abstract Teaser