Friday, 14 January 2005 - 12:00 PM

This presentation is part of: Poster Session I

Collaborative Short-Term Treatment: A Strategy to Engage Inner-City Adolescents in Mental Health Treatment

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a short-term, focused and highly structured intervention would effectively engage inner-city adolescents in mental health treatment. The study identified both client characteristics and elements of the intervention that were associated with the completion and discontinuation of treatment.

Methods: A six-session intervention model was implemented with a convenience sample of 50 African-American and Latino inner-city adolescents, aged 12-21, by 12 masters level social workers, at an urban adolescent health center. Original research instruments were designed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data analysis included a bivariate analysis of the relationship between number of sessions attended and age, ethnicity, and referral source. Content analysis of clinicians’ case records was conducted to identify common themes among ‘discontinued’ (completion of only one session) and ‘completed’ cases (completion of all six sessions).

Results: 44 % of the adolescents (22) completed all six sessions; 28% (14) completed only one session; and 28 % (14) attended 2-5 sessions. There were statistically significant associations between the number of sessions attended and participants’ age and ethnicity. Younger adolescents were more likely than older adolescents to complete the six-session treatment program. African-American adolescents were more likely than Latino adolescents to complete the program. Although Latino adolescents were most likely to discontinue after one session, once engaged, they were likely to complete all six sessions. Family referrals were most likely to complete all six sessions. In discontinued cases: clients and referral sources had divergent views of the problem; clients lacked motivation and did not present clear, specific problems; practitioners were unable to develop intervention contracts with specific goals. In completed cases: there was both consistency and flexibility in the focus and goals of treatment; active, directive and concrete strategies were used, including psychoeducation, partialization, role plays, out-of-session tasks; and family members were involved in treatment.

Implications for Practice: Time-limited interventions can effectively engage adolescents in mental health treatment; intervention with referral sources should be utilized with unmotivated adolescents; practitioners and clients should collaboratively decide length of intervention; use of culturally competent interventions can further engage African-American and Latino clients; involvement of family members and active, directive techniques can help adolescents remain engaged in treatment.

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