A study of factors which influence the initial engagement of clients in counselling in an agency offering marriage counselling services

The problem of initially engaging clients in counselling, at an agency offering marriage counselling services, is complex. It is often difficult to motivate the couple to come together to the first interview. Many clients book appointments which they do not keep, and others attend only one interview. The aim of this .study was to identify specific factors likely to influence the initial engagement of clients with marital problems in an agency setting. A literature survey was done and four groups of factors likely to influence the initial engagement of clients in counselling were identified. These factors are: client factors, including demographic, problem related and expectation related factors, actuarial factors, including waiting time for the first appointment, agency hours and agency fees, interactional factors, including agency-client interaction in the initial telephone contact and in the first interview, and counsellor factors.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Social Development

Year dc:date.issued

1987

Author dc:creator

• Hill, Andrea Frances

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Sippel, Gerd
• Sturgeon, Shona

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16393

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/16393