Psychotherapy termination is that moment in which therapists and clients say goodbye (or “call me if you need me”). As part of the first author’s doctoral dissertation, we conducted a research study in which we asked former clients about their treatment. Surprisingly, when clients were asked about their treatment, many started the recount by addressing […]
Premature termination is a pervasive problem in psychotherapy (Garfield, 1994) and campus mental health services are especially vulnerable to increased rates of this problem. Although client expectations have consistently been associated with premature termination (e.g., Callahan et al., 2009; Dew & Bickman, 2005; Reis & Brown, 2006), the role of therapist expectations is still not […]
It is well-documented that Millennials—(those born between 1980 and 2000 ± 5 years)—exhibit behaviors and attitudes that are distinct from previous generations (Fromm & Garton, 2013; Smith & Nichols, 2015). For example, compared to the Baby-Boomers constituting their parents’ generation—individuals born between 1946 and 1955 ± 5 years—Millennials are more likely to expect immediate results. […]
Abstract Patients’ expectations about the efficacy and nature of psychotherapy have long been considered important common treatment factors, and the empirical literature has largely supported this perspective. In this practice-oriented review, we examine the research on the association between patients’ psycho- therapy expectations and both adaptive treatment processes and outcomes. We also examine the research […]
A voluminous and ever-expanding research literature points to the general effectiveness of psychotherapy (Lambert & Ogles, 2004). Through the use of controlled clinical trials, psychotherapy researchers have identified many empirically-supported treatments for specific clinical phenomena (Roth & Fonagy, 2005). The extant research also suggests that, with just a few exceptions, different therapy modalities yield comparable […]
A classic social psychological finding is that expectations shape people’s experiences, perceptions, and behaviors (e.g., Asch, 1946). Clinical psychologists have long been interested in how expectations specifically affect psychotherapy (e.g., Frank, 1968). After decades of theoretical and empirical attention, it appears safe to say that patient expectations are an important ingredient of psychotherapeutic change (e.g., Kirsch, […]