Adolescent adherence to psychosocial treatment: mental health clinicians' perspectives on barriers and promoters.

Poor adolescent adherence to mental health psychosocial treatment significantly undermines effectiveness. Approximately one-third of all youth drop out or prematurely terminate from psychosocial treatment. This study examined youth adherence to psychosocial treatment from the perspective of community-based mental health clinicians (n =34) interviewed across three focus groups. A grounded theory analysis was applied to investigate the promoters and barriers influencing adolescent adherence to treatment. Clinicians identified four domains (adolescent, family, clinician, and agency) that serve as promoters and barriers to adherence. Barriers to adherence were located primarily in adolescent and family domains, whereas promoters were attributed within the clinician domain. Understanding of the complex influences on adolescent adherence may facilitate increased awareness and intervention options for clinicians.