Translational Issues in Psychological Science, Vol 10(4), Dec 2024, 374-387; doi:10.1037/tps0000441
Greater treatment readiness has been associated with better treatment outcomes and lower levels of premature dropout. Understanding factors contributing to youth and caregiver’s readiness for mental health treatment is needed to minimize dropouts and potentially improve well-being. Parent and youth readiness to engage in mental health treatment to address a youth’s mental health concerns may be influenced by either the parent’s or the youth’s perception of symptom severity. This study explored whether youth- and caregiver report of externalizing or internalizing symptom severity was associated with readiness for treatment. Second, whether the differences between caregiver- and youth report of their readiness for treatment was associated with externalizing or internalizing psychopathology severity. In total, 936 caregivers and youth completed readiness for treatment and youth psychopathology measures upon intake to a specialized youth mental health program within an urban mental health hospital. The findings showed that greater youth- and caregiver-reported internalizing symptom severity was associated with greater youth and caregiver readiness. Statistically significant associations between readiness and youth externalizing symptoms were not found. Caregivers reported greater readiness for treatment relative to youth, when youth were high on externalizing, high on internalizing, and high in both domains. Overall, the present study suggests that internalizing symptom severity may motivate youth and caregivers to seek treatment. These findings may inform clinic-based approaches to better match youth and caregivers to treatments that consider symptom severity and readiness to potentially improve participation and treatment outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)