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Client Perceptions of Helpfulness in Therapy: a Novel Video-Rating Methodology for Examining Process Variables at Brief Intervals During a Single Session

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2017

Alexandra A. Cocklin ,
Warren Mansell ,
Richard Emsley ,
Phil McEvoy ,
Chloe Preston ,
Jody Comiskey  and
Sara Tai
Alexandra A. Cocklin
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester
Warren Mansell*
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester
Richard Emsley
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester
Phil McEvoy
Affiliation:
Six Degrees Social Enterprise, Regents Road, Salford
Chloe Preston
Affiliation:
Six Degrees Social Enterprise, Regents Road, Salford
Jody Comiskey
Affiliation:
Six Degrees Social Enterprise, Regents Road, Salford
Sara Tai
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester
*
Correspondence to Warren Mansell, Reader in Clinical Psychology, CeNTrUM (Centre for New Treatments and Understanding in Mental Health), Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, 2nd Floor Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL. E-mail: warren.mansell@manchester.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background: The value of clients’ reports of their experiences in therapy is widely recognized, yet quantitative methodology has rarely been used to measure clients’ self-reported perceptions of what is helpful over a single session. Aims: A video-rating method using was developed to gather data at brief intervals using process measures of client perceived experience and standardized measures of working alliance (Session Rating Scale; SRS). Data were collected over the course of a single video-recorded session of cognitive therapy (Method of Levels Therapy; Carey, 2006; Mansell et al., 2012). We examined the acceptability and feasibility of the methodology and tested the concurrent validity of the measure by utilizing theory-led constructs. Method: Eighteen therapy sessions were video-recorded and clients each rated a 20-minute session of therapy at two-minute intervals using repeated measures. A multi-level analysis was used to test for correlations between perceived levels of helpfulness and client process variables. Results: The design proved to be feasible. Concurrent validity was borne out through high correlations between constructs. A multi-level regression examined the independent contributions of client process variables to client perceived helpfulness. Client perceived control (b = 0.39, 95% CI .05 to 0.73), the ability to talk freely (b = 0.30, SE = 0.11, 95% CI .09 to 0.51) and therapist approach (b = 0.31, SE = 0.14, 95% CI .04 to 0.57) predicted client-rated helpfulness. Conclusions: We identify a feasible and acceptable method for studying continuous measures of helpfulness and their psychological correlates during a single therapy session.

Keywords

Perceptual Control Theorytherapeutic allianceclient perceptionshelpfulnessMethod of Levelstherapy process
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 45 , Issue 6 , November 2017 , pp. 647 - 660
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2017 

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Footnotes

*

Alexandra A. Cocklin is now at Barnsley Adult Learning Disability Service.

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