What Do Young People Seeking Professional Help Want and Expect From Therapy?
Client expectations and preferences about therapy
represent an important area of investigation as research shows they
are linked to engagement in therapy and therapy outcomes. Studies
examining young people-s expectations and preferences of therapy
remain a neglected area of research. The present study explored what
expectations and preferences young people seeking professional help
held regarding: their role as a client, their therapist-s role, their
therapeutic outcomes, and the processes of therapy. Gender and age
differences were also examined. Participants included 188 young
people aged 12-25 who completed a survey while attending their
initial session at a youth mental health service. Data were analysed
using quantitative methods. Results found the young people held
significantly more pessimistic expectations around therapy when
compared to what they had wanted therapy to be like. Few age and
gender differences were found. Results highlight the importance of a
collaborative therapy approach when working with young people.
[1] D. Rickwood, F.P. Deane, C.J. Wilson, J. Ciarrochi. "Young people-s
help-seeking for mental health problems". Australian e-Journal for the
Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH), vol. 4, issue. 3
(Supplement), 2005.
[2] R.C. Kessler, G.P. Amminger, S. Aguilar-Gaxiola, J. Alonso, S. Lee,
T.B. Utsun. "Age of onset of mental disorders: A review of recent
literature". Current Opinion Psychiatry, vol. 20, pp. 359-364, 2007.
[3] L.J. Barney, K.M. Griffiths, A.F Jorm, H. Christensen. "Stigma about
depression and its impact on help seeking intentions". Australian and
New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry vol. 40, pp. 51-54, 2005.
[4] T. Slade, A. Johnstone, M. Teesson, H. Whiteford, P. Burgess, J. Pirkis,
S. Saw. The Mental Health of Australian-s 2, Report on the 2007
National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2009. Department of
Health and Aging, Canberra.
[5] C.R. Glass, D.B. Arnkoff, S.J. Shapiro. "Expectations and preferences".
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, vol. 38, pp. 455-
461, 2001.
[6] S.E. Dew, L. Bickman. "Client expectancies about therapy". Mental
Health Services Research, vol. 7, pp. 21-33, 2005.
[7] A.G.H. Thompson, R. Sunol. "Expectations as determinants of patient
satisfaction: Concepts, theory, and evidence". International Journal for
Quality in Health Care, vol. 7, pp. 127-141, 1995.
[8] J.K. Swift, J.L. Callahan. "A Delay Discounting Measure of Great
Expectations and the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy". Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 39, pp.581-588, 2008.
[9] V.G. Hood. (2008). "Work-related counselling - A psychodynamic
approach". Psychodynamic Practice, vol. 14, pp. 409-420, 2008.
[10] H.E.A. Tinsley, K.R. Workman, R.A. Kass. "Factor analysis of the
domain of client expectations about counselling". Journal of
Counselling Psychology, vol. 27, pp. 561-570, 1980.
[11] A. Gulliver, K.M. Griffiths. H. Christensen. "Perceived barriers and
facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic
review". BMC Psychiatry, vol. 10, pp. 106-113, 2010.
[1] D. Rickwood, F.P. Deane, C.J. Wilson, J. Ciarrochi. "Young people-s
help-seeking for mental health problems". Australian e-Journal for the
Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH), vol. 4, issue. 3
(Supplement), 2005.
[2] R.C. Kessler, G.P. Amminger, S. Aguilar-Gaxiola, J. Alonso, S. Lee,
T.B. Utsun. "Age of onset of mental disorders: A review of recent
literature". Current Opinion Psychiatry, vol. 20, pp. 359-364, 2007.
[3] L.J. Barney, K.M. Griffiths, A.F Jorm, H. Christensen. "Stigma about
depression and its impact on help seeking intentions". Australian and
New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry vol. 40, pp. 51-54, 2005.
[4] T. Slade, A. Johnstone, M. Teesson, H. Whiteford, P. Burgess, J. Pirkis,
S. Saw. The Mental Health of Australian-s 2, Report on the 2007
National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2009. Department of
Health and Aging, Canberra.
[5] C.R. Glass, D.B. Arnkoff, S.J. Shapiro. "Expectations and preferences".
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, vol. 38, pp. 455-
461, 2001.
[6] S.E. Dew, L. Bickman. "Client expectancies about therapy". Mental
Health Services Research, vol. 7, pp. 21-33, 2005.
[7] A.G.H. Thompson, R. Sunol. "Expectations as determinants of patient
satisfaction: Concepts, theory, and evidence". International Journal for
Quality in Health Care, vol. 7, pp. 127-141, 1995.
[8] J.K. Swift, J.L. Callahan. "A Delay Discounting Measure of Great
Expectations and the Effectiveness of Psychotherapy". Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 39, pp.581-588, 2008.
[9] V.G. Hood. (2008). "Work-related counselling - A psychodynamic
approach". Psychodynamic Practice, vol. 14, pp. 409-420, 2008.
[10] H.E.A. Tinsley, K.R. Workman, R.A. Kass. "Factor analysis of the
domain of client expectations about counselling". Journal of
Counselling Psychology, vol. 27, pp. 561-570, 1980.
[11] A. Gulliver, K.M. Griffiths. H. Christensen. "Perceived barriers and
facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic
review". BMC Psychiatry, vol. 10, pp. 106-113, 2010.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:54612", author = "Clare Watsford and Debra Rickwood", title = "What Do Young People Seeking Professional Help Want and Expect From Therapy?", abstract = "Client expectations and preferences about therapy
represent an important area of investigation as research shows they
are linked to engagement in therapy and therapy outcomes. Studies
examining young people-s expectations and preferences of therapy
remain a neglected area of research. The present study explored what
expectations and preferences young people seeking professional help
held regarding: their role as a client, their therapist-s role, their
therapeutic outcomes, and the processes of therapy. Gender and age
differences were also examined. Participants included 188 young
people aged 12-25 who completed a survey while attending their
initial session at a youth mental health service. Data were analysed
using quantitative methods. Results found the young people held
significantly more pessimistic expectations around therapy when
compared to what they had wanted therapy to be like. Few age and
gender differences were found. Results highlight the importance of a
collaborative therapy approach when working with young people.", keywords = "Client expectations, mental health services,preferences, young people", volume = "6", number = "6", pages = "1251-5", }