Psychological intervention at a primary health care center: predictors of success

BACKGROUND: Few studies in Portugal have attempted to assess the impact of psychological interventions in primary health care regarding the problems shared by clients, and which variables predicted the success of this intervention. The current study, therefore, aimed to identify predictors of success related to psychological intervention in a single primary health care center in the north of Portugal. METHOD: This was a retrospective study from secondary data, using the data from 1024 clients who attended the psychological consultation at a primary health care center over a period of 8 years. The success of the psychological consultation was defined according to the discharge made by the psychologist. The multiple logistic regression analysis was employed. RESULTS: The attendance of a greater number of consultations and the biweekly frequency of consultations significantly predicted the success of psychological intervention. Additionally, the success was associated with having a diagnosis or specific problem identified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide contributions to enrich the literature in this field, in particular, in Portuguese primary health care. We highlight the importance of investing in psychological services in primary health care centers.