A comparison of people who are referred to a psychology service and those who self-refer to large-scale stress workshops open to the general public

Participants who self-referred themselves to stress workshops open to members of the general public are compared with patients referred to a psychology service. Self-referred subjects tended to be older and are more likely to be employed, married and female, confirming findings from previous studies that these factors lead some individuals to be 'filtered out' of the mental health care system. Self-referred subjects were likely already to have consulted their GPs about their problems but not to have been referred on to the specialist mental health services for further help. Those who had consulted their GPs tended to report a slightly higher distress level and more proactive ways of coping than those who had not. The advantages of a self-referral route to a large-scale, intensive, psychological intervention in meeting the needs of those who would otherwise be 'filtered out' of the health care system are discussed.