Perceptions of the First Family Counseling Session: Why Families Come Back

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study that examined why families choose to return to family therapy after their first family therapy session. The 87 families that were referred to a university family counseling center for assistance with their children’s behavioral problems at school completed an author-developed survey in which they rated the influence of various therapist-related and family-related factors on their decision to return for a second session. Factor analysis of the survey data revealed that the families’ positive experience of the therapist during the first session had the strongest influence on their continuation decision. The findings suggest that family therapists are not helpless victims to client attrition after the first session, but rather, have the strongest potential for influencing client decisions to come back. Specific family therapist actions for maximizing family continuation after the first session are described.