Clients' reasons for terminating psychotherapy: a quantitative and qualitative inquiry.
OBJECTIVE
To study private-practice clients' perspective on reasons for psychotherapy termination and how these are related to demographic and treatment variables and to satisfaction with therapy.


METHODS
Eighty-four persons who had been in extended private-practice psychotherapy which ended in the preceding three years participated in the study. Mean number of months in treatment was 27.70 (SD = 18.70).


METHODS
Assessment included rating scales and open-ended questions assessing demographic variables, reasons for terminating therapy, and satisfaction with therapy.


RESULTS
Quantitative results revealed that the most frequent reasons for termination were accomplishment of goals, circumstantial constraints and dissatisfaction with therapy, and that client satisfaction was positively related to positive reasons for termination. Qualitative results revealed two additional frequently mentioned reasons for termination: the client's need for independence and the client's involvement in new meaningful relationships.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that psychotherapy termination may at times be required to facilitate the pursuit of personally meaningful goals.
Roe
David
D
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, Rutgers University, USA.
Dekel
Rachel
R
Harel
Galit
G
Fennig
Shmuel
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy