Reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy from psychotherapists’ points of view: a qualitative study

Background: dropping out of treatment is a common problem to providing psychotherapeutic services that can negatively affect the process. Exploration of the reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy is necessary to design specific intervention in this area. This study was aimed to explore the reasons for dropping out of psychotherapy from psychotherapists’ points of views.

Methods: This qualitative content analysis study was conducted on 12 psychotherapists who were working in Kermanshah city. They were selected by purposeful sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The taped interviews were transcribed and analyzed.

Results: 5 main categories and 12 subcategories were extracted from the data. The main categories were financial problems in psychotherapy, incorrect beliefs and expectations toward psychotherapy, dual nature of psychotherapy, unprepared structure of education and supervision in psychotherapy, and inappropriate referral system in psychotherapy. Economic difficulties of clients, negative attitudes, poor supervision over psychotherapy, and inappropriate referral time were among the extracted subcategories.

Conclusion: The results showed that there are economic, cultural and social aspects for dropping out of psychotherapy. These aspects are suggested to be taken into consideration in providing psychotherapeutic services.