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• 1. [Article] Continuance vs. discontinuance in family counseling

  The study was designed to examine the social workers' and clients’ perceptions of change in the treatment process; specifically to examine the question of why clients discontinue service prior to planful ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Continuance vs. discontinuance in family counseling Author: Anderson, Katherine, Dudley, Alice, Rocks, Mayetta Year: 1971 The study was designed to examine the social workers' and clients’ perceptions of change in the treatment process; specifically to examine the question of why clients discontinue service prior to planful termination. Also, the authors attempted to assess the client's perception of gain and the worker's assessment of gain. Significant Findings Seventy-two per cent of the clients who responded to the questionnaire felt they had been helped. In those cases where the client indicated he had received no help or that his situation became worse, the authors found that the client often indicated that his spouse was unable or unwilling to participate in treatment. These clients also often indicated that they had divorced. The client tended to rate the gains he made from treatment slightly higher than the worker rated them. The inability or unwillingness of the spouse to participate in the treatment process was seen as an important reason for discontinuance before six interviews were completed. The client seemed more likely to indicate fee as a reason for termination of service after six interviews. Clients who paid no fee were more likely to terminate in an unplanned manner before six interviews. If the client paid any fee, his termination was more likely to be planful. Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research The authors recommend, as in the study done by Dr. Dan Jennings, that any questionnaire mailed out by the agency in the future be a more immediate follow-up to treatment, that is, there is a need for further exploration of the optimum time for follow-up study. A future questionnaire might be returned to the individual practitioner so that he could evaluate the service. Also a planned follow-up of this sort might result in the practitioner reaching out to the client to re-involve him in the treatment process if the client so indicated the need on the returned questionnaire. Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research The authors recommend that workers indicate clearly on the statistical cards which members of the family were seen in order to facilitate and expedite data gathering. The statistical cards give assessment of service in terms of gain only. The authors recommend that because service is not always gainful, that there be a place on the statistical card to so indicate this. The situation may be so deteriorated that in the worker's assessment there is no ability on the part of the client for motivation, capacity and opportunity for change. On the basis of the data derived from the questionnaire, the authors recommend that further exploratory study be done in the following areas: (a) In the cases where the spouse is unable or unwilling to participate in the treatment process. (b) In the cases where the clients who paid no fee were more likely to terminate unplanned and before six interviews. The authors recommend, as in the study done by Dr. Dan Jennings, that any questionnaire mailed out by the agency in the future be a more immediate follow-up to treatment, that is, there is a need for further exploration of the optimum time for follow-up study. A future questionnaire might be returned to the individual practitioner so that he could evaluate the service. Also a planned follow-up of this sort might result in the practitioner reaching out to the client to re-involve him in the treatment process if the client so indicated the need on the returned questionnaire. Findings in this study showed that the critical period for clients continuance seems to be within the first five interviews. The author recommend that further exploratory study be done on this critical period of treatment. Title: Continuance vs. discontinuance in family counseling Author: Anderson, Katherine, Dudley, Alice, Rocks, Mayetta Year: 1971 The study was designed to examine the social workers' and clients’ perceptions of change in the treatment process; specifically to examine the question of why clients discontinue service prior to planful termination. Also, the authors attempted to assess the client's perception of gain and the worker's assessment of gain. Significant Findings Seventy-two per cent of the clients who responded to the questionnaire felt they had been helped. In those cases where the client indicated he had received no help or that his situation became worse, the authors found that the client often indicated that his spouse was unable or unwilling to participate in treatment. These clients also often indicated that they had divorced. The client tended to rate the gains he made from treatment slightly higher than the worker rated them. The inability or unwillingness of the spouse to participate in the treatment process was seen as an important reason for discontinuance before six interviews were completed. The client seemed more likely to indicate fee as a reason for termination of service after six interviews. Clients who paid no fee were more likely to terminate in an unplanned manner before six interviews. If the client paid any fee, his termination was more likely to be planful. Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research The authors recommend, as in the study done by Dr. Dan Jennings, that any questionnaire mailed out by the agency in the future be a more immediate follow-up to treatment, that is, there is a need for further exploration of the optimum time for follow-up study. A future questionnaire might be returned to the individual practitioner so that he could evaluate the service. Also a planned follow-up of this sort might result in the practitioner reaching out to the client to re-involve him in the treatment process if the client so indicated the need on the returned questionnaire. Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research The authors recommend that workers indicate clearly on the statistical cards which members of the family were seen in order to facilitate and expedite data gathering. The statistical cards give assessment of service in terms of gain only. The authors recommend that because service is not always gainful, that there be a place on the statistical card to so indicate this. The situation may be so deteriorated that in the worker's assessment there is no ability on the part of the client for motivation, capacity and opportunity for change. On the basis of the data derived from the questionnaire, the authors recommend that further exploratory study be done in the following areas: (a) In the cases where the spouse is unable or unwilling to participate in the treatment process. (b) In the cases where the clients who paid no fee were more likely to terminate unplanned and before six interviews. The authors recommend, as in the study done by Dr. Dan Jennings, that any questionnaire mailed out by the agency in the future be a more immediate follow-up to treatment, that is, there is a need for further exploration of the optimum time for follow-up study. A future questionnaire might be returned to the individual practitioner so that he could evaluate the service. Also a planned follow-up of this sort might result in the practitioner reaching out to the client to re-involve him in the treatment process if the client so indicated the need on the returned questionnaire. Findings in this study showed that the critical period for clients continuance seems to be within the first five interviews. The author recommend that further exploratory study be done on this critical period of treatment. Close