Preparing low-income hispanic, black, and white patients for psychotherapy: evaluation of a new orientation program.

Examined the effectiveness of a new orientation program designed to prepare low-income white and ethnic minority outpatients for psychotherapy. Sixty-two Hispanic, 51 black, and 60 white psychiatric outpatients in a large public psychiatric clinic participated prior to their first psychotherapy interview. Patients were presented with one of two experimental conditions; the oriented patients saw an audiovisual program that instructed them about psychotherapy, and the control patients saw a program that was neutral with regard to psychotherapy. The patients' knowledge and attitudes toward psychotherapy were assessed with two questionnaires. Results indicated that patients who were oriented were more knowledgeable about psychotherapy and more positive in their attitudes toward psychotherapy than were patients who had not been oriented. The role and utility of brief orientation programs for low-income and ethnic minority outpatients in public mental health facilities are discussed.