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Patterns of psychotherapy utilization

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.146.6.775

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.

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