Who goes into treatment? Modifying factors on utilization behavior in psychological problems of children and adolescents

Only about 20% of all children and youths with mental disorders are treated by specific institutions. Using a literature survey the author will look into connections with this fact. Aside from several child, family, and institution related characteristics such as kind and severity of the disturbance or degree of psycho-social stress in the family the parents' attitude towards expert help and the subjective need to be helped seem to be important factors which influence utilizing behavior. The complexity of these dimensions deem it appropriate to use process orientated theoretical concepts and multivariate statistical methods to explain them. The subjective component is illustrated by the author's own pilot study. In an exploratory approach parents' ideas and reflections regarding expert help were collected and evaluated with content analytic methods. Aside from other cognitive patterns it seems that type and degree of the problems are less important decision criteria than the family's coping abilities. In conclusion the author makes some suggestions on how the entitlement to be helped can be utilized better.