Georgiana Shick Tryon

Session Depth and Smoothness in Relation to the Concept of Engagement in Counseling

Investigated the relation of client-counselor evaluation of initial interview to client return for another session. At the end of the initial session, 5 professionals, 5 practicum trainees, and their 290 college-student clients completed the depth and smoothness indexes of the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (Stiles, 1980). Clients also completed the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (Larsen, Attkisson, Hargreaves, & Nguyen, 1979), and counselors completed items from the Pre-Counseling Assessment Blank (Gelso & Johnson, 1983). The duration of the intake interview was recorded. Client return was positively related to: longer interviews; deeper interviews, as rated by both client and counselor; and greater client satisfaction, disturbance, and motivation. The results are discussed in relation to the concept that the initial session represents an engagement session when clients return for more sessions. During the summer of 1984, while evaluating the experience of practicum trainees during the previous academic year, I formulated a concept that was later termed engagement. Examining numbers of clients and sessions for each practicum student, I discovered that practicum students with more positive supervisory evaluations saw their clients for more sessions than did trainees with less positive evaluations. After further numerical calculation, I found that these trainees could be differentiated by the percentage of clients returning to counseling for a second session. At the center where these calculations were made, there is no screening procedure for clients, who are assigned to counselors (both professionals and trainees) on the basis of mutual free time. The counselor who conducts the initial interview handles all subsequent counseling for the client. Sometimes the centers professionals have clients referred specifically to them. These clients are not included when the center staff examines the percentages of clients who return for a second interview. Professionals generally have a higher client-return rate than do trainees.

Client Involvement, Working Alliance, and Type of Therapy Termination

The study investigated the relationship of therapist-rated client and therapist involvement and client relatedness in the first session to strength of working alliance, measured after the third session, and type of client termination. Ten therapists and their 109 college student clients participated. How well the client related at intake was positively associated with client and therapist alliance scores. Client intake involvement was positively associated with client alliance assessment. Unilateral client terminations were related to weaker client and therapist working alliance evaluations. Results indicate the importance of building a strong alliance in the early phases of counseling.

Abuse of therapists by patients: a national survey

A survey of 300 independent practitioners revealed that 81 % experienced at least one incidentof patient physical attack, verbal abuse, or other harassment in private practice, at anotherjob, or both. Verbal abuse was the most frequently reported event. Physical attacks wereabout twice as common in hospitals and clinics as in independent practice. However, otherharassments, such as annoying phone calls and threats to sue, were more common in privatework than at other jobs. Because these types of incidents occur with some frequency, itseems advisable to discuss them and how to prevent or deal with them.

A review and critique of thought stopping research

Abstract Different thought stopping procedures were examined and a review of the literature conducted. Although thought stopping enjoys widespread clinical use, its effectiveness has yet to be conclusively demonstrated. Suggestions for improved research designs are offered.

A study of engagement and premature termination in a university counseling center

Abstract Differences between engaged (clients seen for at least two counseling sessions) and nonengaged clients, and between post-engaged premature terminators and clients who terminated with counselor knowledge at a university counseling center were investigated. Five practicum trainees, four professional counselors, and 308 college student clients participated. Professionals had higher rates of engagement and lower rates of premature termination than trainees. Engagement was positively associated with understanding and teaching the client and with longer intake interviews. Premature termination was associated with counselor attractiveness, expertness, and trustworthiness. These characteristics related to premature termination in opposite directions for professional and practicum counselors. Results are discussed in terms of possible different mechanisms operating at the beginning and end of counseling.

Issues in the lives of dual-career couples.

Abstract The present article presents a systematic review of the issues involved in dualcareer marriages. A definition of dual-career couples/families is provided. The literature is then reviewed with respect to employment issues, employment issues specific to dual-career couples, career interruptions, household chores, child care, and marital difficulties. Some suggestions are made f or conducting therapy with dual-career couples.

Client attractiveness as related to the concept of engagement in therapy

Abstract The study examined the relationship between client attractiveness and return for a second appointment using 163 clients and their 10 therapists. Clients rated as more attractive were more likely to return after intake. A further investigation showed that both therapists with a history of higher percentages of returning clients and more-attractive clients have a facilitative effect on therapeutic involvement or engagement.

The Counselor Rating Form - Short Version: A Factor Analysis.

A principal components analysis with direct oblimin rotation of the Counselor Rating Form—Short Version (CRF-S) yielded two factors. The first is composed of attractiveness and trustworthiness item...

EFFECTS OF TYPE OF POSTAGE AND COVERING ENVELOPE ON RESPONSE RATES IN A MAIL SURVEY

Two variables thought to influence return rates for mail surveys, type of covering envelope (plain or university printed) and type of return envelope (postage stamp or business reply) produced no statistically significant differences in return rates. Therefore, anticipated response rates and cost-effectiveness become important considerations when choosing methods for mail survey.

Correlates of Therapist Prediction of Therapy Duration

In the study presented here I investigated therapist perceptions of client attractiveness, anxiety, and disturbance as they relate to therapist prediction of the number of sessions the client will attend and actual client attendance. Therapists were five professionals and five practicum students at a university counseling center. Their clients were 249 college students. After the initial session, therapists completed the Therapist Personal Reaction Questionnaire (Davis, Cook, Jennings, & Heck, 1977) and items to assess client anxiety and disturbance. Therapists preferred less anxious clients, but actual numbers of sessions were only related significantly and positively to client disturbance.