WHO SEEKS TREATMENT - DIMENSIONS WHICH IN FLUENCE UTILIZING BEHAVIOR IN THE CASE OF MENTAL PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTHS

Only about 20% of all children and youths with mental disorders are tr eated by specific institutions. Using a literature survey the author w ill look into connections with this fact. Aside from several child, fa mily, and institution related characteristics such as kind and severit y of the disturbance or degree of psycho-social stress in the family t he parents' attitude towards expert help and the subjective need to be helped seem to be important factors which influence utilizing behavio r. The complexity of these dimensions deem it appropriate to use proce ss orientated theoretical concepts and multivariat statistical methods to explain them. The subjective component is illustrated by the autho r's own pilot study. In an exploratory approach parents' ideas and ref lections regarding expert help were collected and evaluated with conte nt analytic methods. Aside from other cognitive patterns it seems that type and degree of the problems are less important decision criteria than the family's coping abilities. In conclusion the author makes som e suggestions on how the entitlement to be helped can be utilized bett er.