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The use of reception checks in client pretherapy orientation research
Author(s) -
Zwick Rebecca,
Attkisson C. Clifford
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198403)40:2<446::aid-jclp2270400210>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - psychology , orientation (vector space) , presentation (obstetrics) , interpretation (philosophy) , psychotherapist , social psychology , applied psychology , medicine , geometry , mathematics , computer science , radiology , programming language
The psychotherapy research literature abounds with evidence of the problems of premature termination and unsatisfactory outcome, especially among low‐SES clients. In attempting to enhance the success rate of therapeutic services, some researchers have instituted pretherapy orientation procedures that convey information to clients with regard to the goals and processes of therapy. Although research in this area has continued for two decades, the efficacy of such procedures has not been established firmly. Even when orientations have demonstrable positive effects, the processes through which these results are achieved usually remain unknown. In order to gain an understanding of these mechanisms, researchers must employ measures to assess directly the immediate effects of the orientation. In a recent study, the authors developed a questionnaire to determine whether clients had attended to and understood a pretherapy videotape presentation and whether they recalled the material 1 month later. The results obtained on this measures facilitated the interpretation of the overall research findings.