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An Examination of Mandated Versus Voluntary Referral as a Determinant of Clinical Outcome
Author(s) -
Snyder Christine M. J.,
Anderson Stephen A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2009.00118.x
Subject(s) - referral , alliance , psychology , turnover , resistance (ecology) , medicine , clinical psychology , psychotherapist , family medicine , political science , biology , ecology , management , law , economics
A literature review was undertaken to examine evidence for the effectiveness of psychotherapy with mandated clients. The primary question addressed was whether or not clients mandated to therapy, whether by court order or by order of their employers, show poorer outcomes than clients who enter therapy voluntarily. To this end, research on client resistance and motivational readiness to change was reviewed. This was followed by an examination of research on the effectiveness of mandated treatment. The question of the potential influence of relationship factors such as the therapeutic alliance was also addressed. The literature review was followed by suggestions for future research on the effectiveness of treatment for clients with mandated or voluntary referral status.