A Study of Patients who go to a Psychology Clinic Seeking Treatment

  1. Estupiñá Puig, Francisco José 1
  2. Labrador Encinas, Francisco Javier 1
  3. García Vera, María Paz 1
  1. 1 Universidad Complutense de Madrid
    info

    Universidad Complutense de Madrid

    Madrid, España

    ROR 02p0gd045

Journal:
The Spanish Journal of Psychology

ISSN: 1138-7416

Year of publication: 2012

Volume: 15

Issue: 1

Pages: 275-285

Type: Article

DOI: 10.5209/REV_SJOP.2012.V15.N1.37334 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: The Spanish Journal of Psychology

Abstract

In order to characterize a typical clinical context, as opposed to an academic or research context, this article will analyze the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who turn to a psychology clinic in need of professional help. This study was conducted using an initial sample of 1,305 patients at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) Clínica Universitaria de Psicología. Of the sociodemographic characteristics studied, it is noteworthy that the majority of patients were women (65%) and relatively young (the average age is 29.7 years-old). The disorders for which psychological help was most often needed were anxiety and mood disorders and relationship problems, which together made up 50% of cases. In 17.70% of cases, patients had at least one comorbid disorder in addition to the one that brought them to the clinic. The generalizability and implications of the results are discussed.

Bibliographic References

  • Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M. C., Bernert, S., Bruffaerts, R., Brugha, T. S., Bryson, H.,... & Vollebergh, W. A. M. (2004). 12-Month comorbidity patterns and associated factors in Europe: Results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 109(Suppl420), 28-37
  • American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV-TR (4th edition text revision). Washington, DC: APA
  • Ávila-Espada, A., Herrero Sánchez, J. R., & Fernández Martín, L. C. (2009). Más allá de la docencia: La unidad de atención psicológica y salud mental del universitario (UAPSMU) en la Universidad de Salamanca (1996-2004) [Beyond teaching: Student psychological treatment and mental health services at the University of Salamanca (1996-2004)]. Acción Psicológica, 6(1), 49-62
  • Belloso, J. J., & Espín, J. C. (2007). Un año de pacientes nuevos [A year of new patients]. Revista Española de Neuropsiquiatría, 27(99), 39-58.
  • Berenguer, G., & Quintanilla, I (1994). La imagen de la psicología y los psicólogos en el Estado Español [The image of psychology and psychologists in the Spanish State]. Papeles del Psicólogo, 58, 41-68.
  • Borkovec, T. D. (2004). Research in training clinics and practice research network: A route to the integration of science and practice. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11, 211-215 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bph073
  • Botella, C., Baños, R. M., García-Palacios, A., & Quero, S. (2009). El servicio de atención psicológica de la Universitat Jaume I [Psychological treatment services at Jaume I University]. Acción Psicológica, 6(1), 97-96
  • Buela-Casal, G. (dir.) (2005). Psicología como ciencia de la salud [Psychology as a health science]. Papeles del Psicólogo 26(91), 1-38.
  • Chambless, D. L., & Hollon, S. D. (1998). Defining empirically supported therapies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(1), 7-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-006X.66.1.7
  • Consumer Reports (November, 1995). Mental health: Does therapy help? 734-739.
  • García-Vera, M. P., & Sanz, J. (2009). La clínica universitaria de psicología de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid: Historia, características y situación actual [The pychology universitary clinic at Complutense University of Madrid: History, characteristics and present situation]. Acción Psicológica, 6(1), 123-134
  • Gaston, J. E., Abbott, M. J., Rapee, R. M., & Neary, S. A. (2006). Do empirically supported treatments generalize to private practice? A benchmark study of a cognitive-behavioural group treatment programme for social phobia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 33-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/014466505X35146
  • Goldfried, M. R., & Wolfe, B. E. (1996). Psychotherapy practice and research: Repairing a strained alliance. American Psychologist. Special Issue: Outcome assessment of psychotherapy, 51, 1007-1016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.51.10.1007
  • Gutiérrez García, E. (2009). La unidad Venres Clínico en la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela [The Venres Clinical Unit at Santiago de la Compostela University]. Acción Psicológica, 6(1), 63-71
  • Haro, J. M., Palacín, C., Vilagut, G., Martínez, M., Bernal, M., Luque, I.,... & the Grupo ESEMeD España (2006). Prevalencia de los trastornos mentales y factores asociados: resultados del estudio ESEMeD-España [Prevalence of mental disorders and associated factors: Results of the ESEMeDEspaña study]. Medicina Clínica (Barcelona), 126, 445-451.
  • Instituto Nacional de Estadística (2009). Nivel de estudios de la población adulta. España y UE-27 [The adult population's level of education. Spain and UE-27]. Madrid, Spain: Author. Retrieved from http://www.ine.es/daco/daco42/sociales10/sociales.htm
  • Labrador, F. J., Echeburúa, E., & Becoña, E. (2000). Guía para la elección de tratamientos psicológicos efectivos: Hacia una nueva psicología clínica [Guide to choosing effective psychological treatments: Toward a new clinical psychology]. Madrid, Spain: Dykinson.
  • Martorell, J. L., & Carrasco, M. A. (2009). La atención psicológica desde la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED): El Servicio de Psicología Aplicada (SPA) [Psychological help at the National Distance Learning University (NDLU): Applied Psychology Services (APS)]. Acción Psicológica, 6(1), 135-143.
  • Norcross, J. C. (2002). Psychotherapy relationships that work. New York, NY: Oxford University Press
  • Nathan, P. E., Stuart, S. P., & Dolan, S. L. (dirs.) (2000). Research on psychotherapy efficacy and effectiveness: Between Scylla and Charybdis. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 964-981. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.126.6.964
  • Pérez, M., Fernández, J. R., Fernández, C., & Amigo, I (dirs.) (2003). Guía de tratamientos psicológicos eficaces I. Adultos [Guide to effective psychological treatments I. Adults]. Madrid, Spain: Pirámide.
  • Saldaña, C., Bados, A., García-Grau, E., Balaguer, G., & Fusté, A. (2009). La unidad de terapia de conducta de la Universidad de Barcelona [The University of Barcelona behavioral therapy unit]. Acción Psicológica, 6, 113-122.
  • Santolaya, F., Berdullas, M., & Fernández, J. R. (2001). The Decade 1989-1998 in Spanish Psychology: An analysis of development of professional psychology in Spain. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 4, 237-252.
  • Saúl, L. A., López-González, M. A., & Bermejo, B. (2009). Revisión de los servicios de atención psicológica y psicopedagógica de las universidades españolas [A review of psychological assistance and psychopedagogical services in Spanish universities]. Acción Psicológica, 6(1), 17-40
  • Seligman, M. E. (1995). The effectiveness of psychotherapy: The consumer reports study. American Pscyhologist, 50, 965-974. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.50.12.965
  • Seligman, M. E. (1996). Science as an ally of practice. American Psychologist, 51, 1072-1079. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.51.10.1072
  • Shadish, W. R., Matt, G. E., Navarro, A. M., & Phillips, G. (2000). The effects of psychological therapies under clinically representative conditions: Ameta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 512-529. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.126.4.512
  • Shadish, W. R., Matt, G., Novaro, A., Siegle, G., Crits-Christoph, P., Hazelrigg, M.,... & Weiss, B. (1997). Evidence that therapy works under clinically representative conditions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 355-365. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-006X.65.3.355
  • Stirman, S. W., DeRubeis R. J., Crits-Christoph, P., & Rothman, A. (2005). Can the randomized controlled trial literature generalize to nonrandomized patients? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 127-135. http://dx.doi.org/10. 1037/0022-006X.73.1.127
  • Valero-Aguayo, L., & Ruiz-Moreno, M. A. (2003). Evaluación de un servicio de salud mental: Análisis de la demanda y datos epidemiológicos [Evaluation of mental health services: An analysis of demand and epedemiological data]. Psiquis, 24, 11-18
  • Vallejo, M. A., Jordán, C. M., Díaz, M. I., Comeche, M. I., Ortega, J., Amor, P., & Zubeidat, I. (2008). Perfil sociodemográfico de los usuarios de un servicio de asistencia psicológica online [The sociodemographic profile of users of online psychological assistance services]. Psicothema, 20, 610-615.
  • Weisz, J. R., Weiss, B., & Donenberg, G. R. (1992). The lab versus the clinic: Effects of child and adolescent psychotherapy. American Psychologists, 47, 1578-1585. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.47.12.1578
  • Weisz, J. R., Weiss, B., Han, S. S., Granger, D. A., & Morton, T. (1995). Effects of psychotherapy on children and adolescents revisited: a meta-analysis of treatment outcome studies. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 450-468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.117.3.450
Data source: Dialnet