Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2004-07
Factors Influencing Parental Engagement in a Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service: A Qualitative Comparison of Completers and Non-Completers
Attrition is a significant problem in child mental health services. Research
investigating the factors associated with attrition has produced conflicting
results, and failed to consider clients' own decision to terminate treatment
prematurely. This study investigated parental accounts of why they completed or
discontinued treatment. Completers and non-completers were interviewed using an
open-ended interview schedule. All completed the Strengths and Difficulties
Questionnaire (SDQ) before beginning treatment, but the sample size was too small to
yield meaningful results. Core differences were found in the accounts of parents who
completed treatment and parents who discontinued treatment. Completers' accounts
were more focused on the child's problem and identified more factors that
facilitated the effectiveness of the intervention; whereas non-completers' accounts
were more focused on family problems and identified more obstacles that interfered
with the effectiveness of the intervention. The findings have implications for the
way in which non-completers are conceptualized for understanding the process of engagement.
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