FAMILY EXPERIENCE OF BARRIERS TO TREATMENT AND PREMATURE TERMINATION FROM CHILD THERAPY

Barriers to participation in treatment were proposed as a basis for dr opping out of treatment among children seen in outpatient therapy. Fam ilies (N = 242) of children referred for treatment for oppositional, a ggressive, and antisocial behavior participated. The main findings wer e that (a) barriers to participation in treatment contributed signific antly to dropping out of therapy; (b) perceived barriers to treatment were not explained by family, parent, and child characteristics that a lso predicted dropping out; and (c) among families at high risk for dr opping our of treatment, the perception of few barriers attenuated ris k. Parent perceptions of the difficulties of participating in treatmen t (including stressors and obstacles associated with treatment, percep tions that treatment is not very relevant, and a poor relationship wit h the therapist) influenced who dropped out.