Correlates of clients' emotional and behavioral responses to treatment termination

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.