Abstract

An exploratory study was done with descriptive comparative components to examine the levels of consumer satisfaction at a mental health center, and there was also the intent to determine if satisfaction or dissatisfaction in one area of service affected the general satisfaction level. In addition, other variables and demographic data included in the questionnaire were examined.

Data collection was done by the use of a 23-item questionnaire that was administered to three departments of service, Outpatient, Drug Abuse, and Day-care, at North Orange County Mental Health Services. The sample group consisted of any adult in treatment who had made three or more visits to the clinic and who voluntarily filled out a questionnaire. The staff was also asked to participate in order to compare their assessment of the services with actual client ratings. Ninety six consumers and 22 staff members returned questionnaires.

Significantly high levels of satisfaction were shown at the clinic with the combined consumer satisfaction level being 75.28%, thus validating the hypothesis of high ratings. Areas of high satisfaction were "satisfaction with therapist and abilities" and "methods of billing and payment." Possible areas of discontentment were "wait in the waiting room," "improvement since starting therapy," and "involuntary treatment." In order to look at the individual areas of service and their effect on the general satisfaction levels, a Consumer Satisfaction Index was formed. Of the five questions compared against the index, "wait in the waiting room" and "methods of billing and payment" significantly affected the index.

Other findings were there was little interest in the relocation of the clinic; individual services were found most helpful; and although consumers found other mental health services to be useful, direct services were most important. Those consumers that filled out the questionnaires were largely white-Anglo, young, single adults with moderate income in the middle occupational status group. The clinic also serves many clients on public assistance. Those clients with the greater number of visits to the clinic perceived the greatest improvement since starting treatment. The open-ended comments and suggestions at the end of the questionnaire were largely complimentary to the services with frequent change of therapist being the most frequent complaint.

The returns from this questionnaire were mostly in line with previous studies from other Mental Health Services; however, a replication of the study with better control to assure better returns would be recommended.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Esther Sellers

Second Advisor

Frances Pride

Third Advisor

Anees Haddad

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1976

Date (Title Page)

5-1976

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Mental Health Services; Consumer Satisfaction

Type

Thesis

Page Count

x; 116

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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