Pretreatment Change Reports by Clients in a University Counseling Center: Relationship to Inquiry Technique, Client, and Situational Variables

Abstract

This study examined the effect of inquiry technique at intake on reports of pretreatment change.There was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of clients who reported pretreatment change regardless of which format was used. The study also examined 5 client and situational variables and obtained no significant differences.hange is the essence of counseling. Regardless of the specific probem or complaint, clients enter counseling to alter themselves and their C circumstances. Investigation of various dimensions of the change process has much to offer the counseling profession. The study of change typically has been restricted to the change that occurs for clients during and after treatment. However, researchers and clinicians have become increasingly interested in another dimension of change known as "pretreatment change" (Allgood, Parham, Salts, & Smith, 1995; Beyebach, Morejon, Palenzuela, & Rodriguez-Arias, 1996; de Shazer, 1991; Lawson, 1994; Weiner-Davis, de Shazer, & Gingerich, 1987). Pretreatment change refers to improvements in the client's presenting problem that occur between the time the client makes an appointment for counseling and the first counseling session (Weiner-Davis et al., 1987). Regardless of how small, pretreatment change can be viewed as a "solution in the making" and a foundation upon which larger changes can be built (Murphy, 1997).The major impetus for examining and using pretreatment change has come from practitioners of solution-focused brief therapy (Berg & Miller, 1992; de Shazer, 1985 de Shazer, ,1991O'Hanlon & Weiner-Davis, 1989;Walter & Peller, 1992). Solution-focused counselors emphasize the benefits of applying client strengths and resources throughout the counseling process. The use of small successes and other resources that clients bring to counseling is supported by a growing body of psychotherapy outcome research (Garfield, 1994;Lambert, 1992;Lambert & Bergin, 1994;Tallman & Bohart, 1999

The Identification of Pretreatment Trajectories of Alcohol Use and Their Relationship to Treatment Outcome in Men and Women With Alcohol Use Disorder

“…In contrast, few studies have focused on change that occurs prior to entering treatment. In the general psychotherapy literature, studies of pretreatment change have shown that symptom change consistently occurs after the initial phone call when an appointment is scheduled, before the first treatment session (Kindsvatter et al, ; Lawson, ; Ness and Murphy, ; Weiner‐Davis et al, ; West et al, ). In the substance abuse literature, a similar pattern has been observed in studies that report reductions in or cessation of use that occurs between the initial phone call and the first clinical research assessment (Epstein et al, ; Kaminer et al, ; Morgenstern et al, ; Ondersma et al, ; Penberthy et al, ; Sobell, ; Stasiewicz et al, ).…”

Pretreatment changes in drinking: Relationship to treatment outcomes.

“…In the general psychotherapy literature, studies of pretreatment change have consistently shown significant decreases in symptoms after the initial phone call—when an appointment is scheduled—and before the first treatment session (e.g., Kindsvatter, Osborn, Bubenzer, & Duba, 2010; Lawson, 1994; Ness & Murphy, 2001; Weiner-Davis, de Shazer, & Gingerich, 1987; West, Harvey-Berino, Krukowski, & Skelly, 2011). Similar patterns of change in drinking behaviors have also been reported for those entering treatment for alcohol use disorders.…”

What Can Clients Tell Us about Seeking Counselling and Their Experience of It?

“…Subsequently, systematic attempts to elicit this information by means of a series of 'pre-therapy change' questions have identified problem improvement in 25% to 50% or more of new clients (Johnson, Nelson, & Allgood, 1998;Lawson, 1994;Ness & Murphy, 2001;Throckmorton, Best, & Alison, 2001). Interestingly, some of these clients did not even recognise that such improvement had occurred until being prompted to think about it (Lawson, 1994).…”