Appointment compliance behavior of community mental health patients: a discriminant analysis.

This study evaluated various demographic and psychiatric signs and symptoms of community mental health clients in an attempt to identify those variables which influence appointment compliance behavior. A sample of 172 non-psychotic clients with a primary diagnosis of neurosis, personality disorder, or transient-situational disturbance were studied utilizing discriminant analysis. The results indicate that approximately 85 percent of the clients were properly classified as either compliant or non-compliant in their appointment behavior. The implications for mental health care are discussed.