title: The impact of client treatment preferences on outcome: a meta-analysis.
abstract: An important part of evidence-based practice is to include client preferences in the treatment decision-making process. However, based on previous reviews of the literature there is some question as to whether including client preferences actually has an effect on treatment outcome. This meta-analytic review summarized data from over 2,300 clients across 26 studies comparing the treatment outcome differences between clients matched to a preferred treatment and clients not matched to a preferred treatment. The findings indicate a small significant effect (r=.15, CI(.95): .09 to .21) in favor of clients who received a preferred treatment. The binomial effect size indicated that matched clients have a 58% chance of showing greater improvement, and further analysis indicate that they are about half as likely to drop-out of treatment when compared with clients not receiving a preferred treatment. Study design was seen to be a moderating variable in that partially randomized preference trials may underestimate the treatment preference effect. Implications for best practice standards are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma State University, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Callahan
mesh_terms: D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011613:Psychotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome