Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T12:31:12.598Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of waiting time on appointment attendance with clinical psychologists and length of treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Konstantinos S Loumidis  and
Julia M Shropshire
Konstantinos S Loumidis
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychology Department, North Manchester General Hospital, Delaunays Road, Crumpsal Manchester M8 5RB, England
Julia M Shropshire
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education Research and Graduate School, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, England
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective: With the increasing demand for clinical psychology services and the existing shortage of clinical psychologists, it is theoretically and clinically important to identify variables associated with non-attendance for clinical psychology appointments. The study reported here attempted to: (a) examine the effect of waiting time for an appointment on non-attendance to clinical psychology services; (b) investigate variables associated with prolonged waiting time; (c) explore the nature of the relationship between waiting time and length of psychological treatment.

Method: The records of 49 3 patients offered an appointment to attend a clinical psychology service over a period of 24 months were analysed. Subsequently information on sex, age, type of referring problem, previous treatment history, treatment venue and waiting time for appointment, was collected and statistically analysed.

Results: Non-attendance was significantly related to prolonged waiting time and young age. Controlling for the effects of waiting time and age, patients with complex problems and new patients wh o had never sought psychological treatment in the past were less likely to attend. Length of waiting time was higher in groups with previous treatment history, patients seen at a hospital based department, and patients with complex problems and anxiety disorders. Finally, length of psychological treatment (total number of sessions required) was not affected by prolonged waiting time.

Conclusion: Non-attendance for clinical psychology appointments was associated with (a) young age, (b) prolonged waiting time (over six months), (c) complex psychological problems, and (d) new patients. The limitations and clinical implications of these findings are critically discussed.

Keywords

Health care utilisationOutpatient treatmentMental health servicesTreatment-compliance
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , June 1997 , pp. 49 - 54
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.MPAG. Manpower planning advisory group. Clinical psychology project. London: Department of Health, 1990.Google Scholar
2.Division of Clinical Psychology. Report of the DCP survey of waiting lists in NHS clinical psychology services. Clin Psychol Forum 1993; 53: 39–42.Google Scholar
3.VE, Weighill, Hodge, J, DF, Peck. Keeping appointments with clinical psychologists. Br J Clin Psychol 1983; 22: 143–4.Google Scholar
4.Munro, J, Blakey, R. A study of non-attendance in first appointments with clinical psychologists. Clin Psychol Forum 1988; 17: 10–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Nicholson, IR. Factors involved in failure to keep initial appointments with mental health professionals. Hosp Community Psychiatry 1994; 45(3): 276–8.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Festinger, DS, Lamb, RJ, Kountz, MR, Kirby, KC. Pre-treatment dropout as a function of treatment delay and client variables. Addict Behav 1995; 20(1): 111–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Piacentini, J, Rotheram-Borus, MJ, Gillis, JR, Graae, F. Demographic predictors of treatment attendance among adolescent suicide attempters. J Consult Clin Psychol 1995; 63(3): 473–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Philip, AE. Development and use of a record of psychologist-patient contact. Health Bull 1983; 41: 26–31.Google Scholar
9.Crawford, J, Blakey, R, Guillion, F. The venue for clinical psychology appointments: a study of client preferences. Clin Psychol Forum 1987; 7: 6–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Marks, K. Four patients' information, attitudes and expectations about psychological care, treatment and their relationship to attrition. Unpub Msc Thesis 1984.Google Scholar
11.Hicks, J, Hickman, G. The impact of waiting-list times on client attendance for relationship counselling. Br J Guid Couns 1994; 22(2): 175–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Jones, J, Lodge, A. A survey of psychiatric patients: views of outpatient clinical facilities. Health Bull 1991; 49: 320–8.Google Scholar
13.Wells, A, Clark, DM, Salkovskis, P, Ludgate, J, Hackman, A, Gelder, M. Social phobia: The role of in-situation safety behaviour in maintaining anxiety and negative maladaptive belief. Behav Psychotherapy 1995; 26: 153–61.Google Scholar
14.Wells, A, Mathews, G. Attention and emotion: A clinical perspective. London: Lawrence Elbaum Associates, 1994.Google Scholar
15.Munjal, A, Latimer, M, McCune, N. Attendance at child psychiatry new patients clinics. Ir J Psych Med 1994; 11(4) 182–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Spector, K. Increasing take-up rates of clinical psychology services. Clin Psychol Forum 1988; 13: 11–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Webster, A. The effect of pre-assessment information on clients' satisfaction, expectations and attendance at a mental health day centre. Br J Med Psychol 1992; 65: 89–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Kat, B. Psychology in healthcare: death and rebirth. The Psychologist 1993; 6: 123–5.Google Scholar
19.Shapiro, DA, Barkham, M, Rees, A, Hardy, GE, Reynolds, S, Startup, M. Effects of treatment duration and severity of depression on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural and psychodynamic interpersonal psychotherapy. J Consult Clin Psychol 1994; 63(3): 522–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Backham, M, Moorey, J, Davis, G. Cognitive behavioural psychotherapy in two-plus-one sessions: a pilot field trial. Behav Psychotherapy 1992; 20: 147–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Morton, A. The enigma of non-attendance: A study of clients who do not turn up for their first appointment. Therapeutic Communities Int J Therapeutic & Supportive Organisations 1995; 16(2): 117–33.Google Scholar