TY - JOUR
T1 - Barriers to Service Utilization and Child Mental Health Treatment Attendance Among Poverty-Affected Families
AU - Bornheimer, Lindsay A.
AU - Acri, Mary C.
AU - Gopalan, Geetha
AU - McKay, Mary M.
PY - 2018/10/1
Y1 - 2018/10/1
N2 - OBJECTIVE: The majority of children who initially engage in mental health treatment in the United States drop out prematurely, a problem further exacerbated among children living in poverty. This study examined the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, barriers to treatment use, and session attendance. METHODS: Data were obtained from participants (N=225) in the 4R2S field trial. Barriers were measured using the Kazdin Barriers to Treatment Participation Scale. RESULTS: Barriers endorsed by families attending less treatment primarily aligned with practical rather than perceptual obstacles. Critical events linked to lower attendance included moving too far away from the clinic, a job change, and a child's moving out of the home. CONCLUSIONS: Child mental health programs serving low-income families may consider structural modifications to allow for greater family support as well as flexibility in treatment delivery by leveraging technology. Future research is needed to evaluate barriers to treatment and alternate modalities in relation to service utilization.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The majority of children who initially engage in mental health treatment in the United States drop out prematurely, a problem further exacerbated among children living in poverty. This study examined the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, barriers to treatment use, and session attendance. METHODS: Data were obtained from participants (N=225) in the 4R2S field trial. Barriers were measured using the Kazdin Barriers to Treatment Participation Scale. RESULTS: Barriers endorsed by families attending less treatment primarily aligned with practical rather than perceptual obstacles. Critical events linked to lower attendance included moving too far away from the clinic, a job change, and a child's moving out of the home. CONCLUSIONS: Child mental health programs serving low-income families may consider structural modifications to allow for greater family support as well as flexibility in treatment delivery by leveraging technology. Future research is needed to evaluate barriers to treatment and alternate modalities in relation to service utilization.
KW - Barriers to help-seeking
KW - Barriers to treatment
KW - Poverty-affected families
KW - Service utilization
KW - Structural equation modeling
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85054071173
U2 - 10.1176/appi.ps.201700317
DO - 10.1176/appi.ps.201700317
M3 - Article
C2 - 29983111
AN - SCOPUS:85054071173
SN - 1075-2730
VL - 69
SP - 1101
EP - 1104
JO - Psychiatric Services
JF - Psychiatric Services
IS - 10
ER -