Date of Award

Spring 5-2006

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Mary Peterson, PhD

Second Advisor

Kathleen Gathercoal, PhD

Third Advisor

Robert Buckler, MD, MPH

Abstract

Current data suggest that the cost of caring for people with serious mental illness in the United States was 2.64 billion dollars in the years between 1997 and 2004. The proper utilization of these funds is an important consideration if we are to successfully address the needs of this population. To maximize the use of mental health funds, the provider must quickly identify effective and efficient treatments. Assessment can facilitate the screening process and subsequent treatment decisions. For that reason, my research question addresses the issue of effective screening measures notably the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in predicting movement through the clinical pathways model. The hypothesis tested was that elevated scores on the subscales of the BSI will result in faster movement through the clinical pathways. Results showed that this was not supported; however the existence of co-morbid diagnoses was found to have a negative correlation with movement. This proves invaluable for future assessment of the clinical pathways model as well as the utilization of the BSI for outcome prediction.

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