The authors conducted an archival study of 149 new clinic patients at a
large community mental health center. The dropout rate for patients in
brief psychotherapy in which the length of therapy was specified at the
outset of treatment (time-limited psychotherapy) (32%) was about one- half
the dropout rate for patients in brief (67%) and long-term (61%) individual
psychotherapy. The difference in dropout rates could not be explained by
patient demographic or diagnostic variables or by therapist characteristics
measured in the study. The results suggest that setting a specific time
limit on individual psychotherapy at the outset of treatment can reduce the
patient dropout rate in a public mental health clinic.Abstract Teaser