Abstract

Empirical research examining psychotherapy clients' post treatment outcomes for all case lengths and their reasons for discontinuing treatment is limited in the literature, particularly for shorter case lengths. Research indicates that clients with zero-, one-, and two-session case lengths are the most common in psychotherapy (Howard et al., 1986; Nielsen et al., 2016; Phillips, 1985; Phillips 1987); and yet, little is known about these clients. The purpose of this study is to better understand these termination patterns and outcomes for the most common case lengths. Outcomes were measured with the Outcome Questionnaire-45 total score (OQ-45; Lambert et al., 2004). Client Reasons for Discontinuing Treatment (RDT) were assessed with a 14-item questionnaire adapted from questions used in previous research (Granley, 2001). These relationships were investigated in a large, psychotherapy follow-up sample (N = 713). Among these 713 clients, 190 (26.7% of 712) completed zero, one, or two sessions (Ns = 81, 58, & 51, respectively). Repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that (a) case length was not a significant factor in improvement, (b) case lengths and RDTs were uncorrelated, (c) RDTs were associated with improvement or the absence thereof, and (d) RDTs were uncorrelated with case length except with shorter case lengths. The findings of this study can help researchers, clinics, and practitioners understand client termination patterns and post treatment outcomes better and reexamine what may constitute premature termination. They can help improve the experiences of both practitioners and clients, reduce client-therapist treatment expectation discrepancies, and improve care at outpatient clinics.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Counseling Psychology and Special Education

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2024-04-09

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13554

Keywords

psychotherapy, outcome research, follow-up, premature termination, early termination, reasons for discontinuing

Language

english

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