The problems of the employment of child and adolescent psychotherapeutical care.

We attempted to clarify the questions as to which variables were important for the acceptance or nonacceptance of a psychotherapy offer to the patients of our department. 1. We attempted to interpret some of the interpersonal variables hermeneutically: pressure of suffering and ability to suffer. We reflected these concepts as regards their ontogenesis and their significance for the initial contact with the therapist and the later compliance with the doctor-patient-relationship. 2. Other variables could be dealt with empirically. A group of patients whose psychotherapy was offered within one year of their initial contact with the clinic was examined. Here it was a question of 106 children and adolescents, 62 of these boys and 40 girls. No statistically significant influence upon the acceptance or refusal of an offer of therapy appeared in the variables--age and sex of the patients; distance between place of residence and clinic; the mother's occupation; psychiatric illnesses in relatives. On the other hand, a statistically significant influence is exercised by the variables--time interval between offer of therapy and its acceptance; therapy with psychopharmaceuticals at the same time; necessity of a depth psychologically-oriented individual therapy.