Adolescents users of mental health services: assessment of the perception of improvement with treatment Assessment of perceived improvement

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the change perceived by adolescents, who are users of a specialized outpatient mental health service for children and adolescents. Methods Cross-sectional study with convenience sampling. Individual interviews were conducted with a questionnaire that includes demographic and socioeconomic questions, together with the Perceived Change Scale – patient version, validated in Brazil. This scale addresses perceived changes in several dimensions of life: occupation, physical health, psychobiological aspects, sleep, relationship and emotional stability. The study was conducted from August 2017 to November 2018, covering 100 adolescents between 12 and 18 years undergoing treatment in the service for at least 6 months. Results The majority were female (64.0%), aged between 16 and 18 years (48.0%), attended for more than one year (84.0%). The most cited diagnoses by teenagers were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (39%) and anxiety disorders (36%). The result of the global evaluation showed the feeling of improvement in 83% of the participants; regarding the perceived change in the items of the scale related to improvement, they include: interest in working (71.0%), coexistence with family (67.0%) and interest in life (60.0%). Conclusion The evaluation of health care offered by public mental health services is an important indicator of quality and resoluteness of actions, making it possible to identify the aspects to be improved or reinforced in work processes, in order to favor better care practices in childhood and adolescence.