Predictors of discharge in child psychoanalytic psychotherapy

Abstract

Introduction: This empirical study was based on the analysis of the results of a study about dropout predictors among in child psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The objectives were to characterize the sample of children discharged from psychoanalytic psychotherapy, examine the association between sociodemographic/clinical variables and child psychoanalytic psychotherapy discharge, and determine predictors of discharge in child psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Method: This quantitative, descriptive and retrospective study analyzed the clinical records of 600 children treated in three institutions that offer graduate courses in psychoanalytic psychotherapy in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Results: The analysis of clinical records revealed that 24.2% of the child patients were discharged from treatment. Neurological assessment and treatment duration were predictors of discharge in child psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Conclusion: The predictors of discharge and dropout may coincide, but they are not the same. In this sample, the construction of the therapeutic alliance and the understanding of the reasons why children need psychotherapy by their parents or guardians may explain our findings.