Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Correlates of Clients’ emotional and Behavioral Responses to Treatment Termination

  • Published:
Clinical Social Work Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigates the associations between clients’ emotional and behavioral responses to treatment termination and eight sets of indepentent variables, covering the source of termination (client, therapist, external source); the termination process (speed, centrality, control, choice, and desire), and the perceived outcome (failure, goal achievement) of the therapy. Subjects were 92 student therapists and 40 professional therapists, who reported on their clients’ perceptions, experiences, and responses. All the variables examined were associated with one or another client response. The findings support the view of treatment termination not only as a loss experience but also as a transition. They highlight the need for therapists to pay careful attention to both the source and the process of treatment termination.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • S. Anthony G. Pagano (1998) ArticleTitleThe therapeutic potential for growth during the termination process Clinical Social Work Journal 26 IssueID3 281–295 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1022872011238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K. Bolen (1972) ArticleTitleEasing the pain of termination for adolescents Social Casework 53 519–527

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Boyer A. Hoffman (1993) ArticleTitleCounselor affective reactions to termination: Impact of counselor loss history and perceived client sensitivity to loss Journal of Counseling Psychology 40 271–277 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0022-0167.40.3.271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Bywaters (1975) ArticleTitleEnding casework relationships: The process of closure Social Work Today 6 336–338

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Ebaugh (1988) Becoming an Ex. The process of role exit The University of Chicago Press Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Elbow (1987) ArticleTitleThe memory book: Facilitating termination with children Social Casework 68 180–183

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Flapan G. H. Fenchel (1987) ArticleTitleTermination Group 11 131–143 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01456616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Fortune (1987) ArticleTitleGrief only? Client and social worker reactions to termination Clinical Social Work Journal 15 IssueID2 159–171 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00752909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Fortune B. Pearlingi C. Rochelle (1992) ArticleTitleReaction to termination of individual treatment Social Work 37 IssueID2 171–178

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Friestein (1974) ArticleTitleTermination of psychoanalysis Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association 20 873–894

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Garland H. Jones R. Kolodny (1973) A model for stages of development in social work groups S. Bernstein (Eds) Explorations in Group Work Milford House Boston 7–17

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Glaser A. Strauss (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research Aldine Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Gould (1977) ArticleTitleStudents’ experience with the termination phase of individual treatment Smith College Studies in Social Work 48 235–269

    Google Scholar 

  • I. Gutheil (1993) ArticleTitleRituals and termination procedures Smith College Studies in Social Work 63 IssueID2 163–176

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Hepworth R. Rooney J. Larsen (1997) Direct social work practice, theory and skills Books Cole Publishing Company London

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Hess M. Hess (1984) Termination in context B. Compton and Galaway (Eds) Social work processes EditionNumber3 Homewood Dorsey IL 559–570

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Hopson J. Adam (1976) Towards an understanding of transition: Defining some boundaries of transition dynamics J. Adams J Hayes B. Hopson (Eds) Transition—understanding and managing change Martin Robertson & Co London 3–25

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Kramer (1986) ArticleTitleThe termination process in open-ended psychotherapy: Guidelines for clinical practice Psychotherapy 23 526–531

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Lanyado (1999) ArticleTitleHolding and letting go: Some thoughts about the process of ending therapy Journal of Child Psychotherapy 25 IssueID3 357–378

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Leigh (1998) Referral and termination issues for counselors Sage Publications London

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Levinson (1977) ArticleTitleTermination of psychotherapy: Some salient issues Social Casework 58 480–489

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Martin R. Schurtman (1985) ArticleTitleTermination anxiety as it affects the therapist Psychotherapy 22 92–96

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Marx C. Gelso (1987) ArticleTitleTermination of individual counseling in a university counseling center Journal of Counseling Psychology 34 IssueID1 3–9 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0022-0167.34.1.3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E. Mikkelsen T. Gutheil (1979) ArticleTitleStages of forced termination: Uses of death metaphor Psychiatric Quarterly 51 IssueID1 15–27 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01064716 Occurrence Handle432344

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • H. Northen (1988) Social work with groups Columbia University Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Q. Pearson (1998) ArticleTitleTermination before counseling has ended: Counseling implications and strategies for counselor relocation Journal of Mental Health Counseling 20 IssueID1 55–63

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Penn (1990) ArticleTitleWhen the therapist must leave: Forced termination of psychodynamic therapy Professional Psychology Research and Practice 21 IssueID5 379–384 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0735-7028.21.5.379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Quintana W. Holahan (1992) ArticleTitleTermination in short-term counseling: Comparison of successful and unsuccessful cases Journal of Counseling Psychology 39 IssueID3 299–305 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0022-0167.39.3.299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Ryz J. Wilson (1999) ArticleTitleEndings as gain: The capacity to end and its role in creating space for growth Journal of Child Psychotherapy 25 IssueID3 379–403

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Shane E. Shane (1984) ArticleTitleThe end phase of analysis: Indicators, functions and tasks of termination Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association 32 739–772 Occurrence Handle6526965

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • C. Siebold (1991) ArticleTitleTermination: When the therapist leaves Clinical Social Work Journal 19 IssueID2 191–204 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00755046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E. Ward (1984) ArticleTitleTermination of individual counseling: Concepts and strategies Journal of Counseling and Development 63 21–25

    Google Scholar 

  • N. Webb (1985) ArticleTitleA crisis intervention perspective on the termination process Clinical Social Work Journal 13 IssueID4 329–340 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00755368

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel

    Nehami Baum

Authors
  1. Nehami Baum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nehami Baum.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Baum, N. Correlates of Clients’ emotional and Behavioral Responses to Treatment Termination. Clin Soc Work J 33, 309–326 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-005-4946-5

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-005-4946-5

Key words

Search

Navigation