PATIENTS DROPPING OUT OF TREATMENT IN ITALY

The aim of this study was to explore the extent and the specific featu res of drop-out for patients having a first contact with an university psychiatric outpatient clinic in Italy over the course of 1 year and to determine which variables were associated with early termination of treatment. Of the 158 patients selected for this study, there was an overall 3-month drop-out rate following the first visit of 63%. Of the 59 patients who had returned once after the initial contact, 28 inter rupted subsequently the treatment, although the therapist's plan inclu ded further visits. The overall drop-out rate at 3 months was thus 82% . The only 2 variables associated with drop-out rates were the patient s' perception of the severity of their disorder and the psychiatric hi story: continuing patients were more frequently in agreement with the clinician's judgment as compared with those who dropped out and were m ore likely to have already been in psychiatric treatment.