The impact of termination in individual psychotherapy on the social work practitioner

The focus of the study was to examine the emotional impact of termination in individual psychotherapy on social work practitioners representative of three professional social work organizations in south Florida. This investigation utilized a methodology that employed two research strategies. The first method was a qualitative (naturalistic) research approach. Data were collected from two focus groups with seven (7) practitioners each, using a traditional social science approach regarding the practitioners' experience during termination with a recent client. The second strategy was a survey approach (quantitative) which queried 221 practitioners. The basis for this study is from a previous study by Fortune, et al. (1992). In examining the experience of the clients' and practitioners' reactions to planned and unplanned therapeutic termination. Fortune and colleagues found that practitioners experienced high levels of ‘Therapeutic Pride’ in a planned therapeutic termination and ‘Therapeutic Doubt’ when involved in an unplanned therapeutic termination. Fortune, et al. also found that the ‘Practitioners' Personal Loss’ impacted their sense of loss when going through an unplanned therapeutic termination. The findings in this study were contrary to earlier literature that reported that the majority of practitioners experienced negative feelings regarding termination of psychotherapy. This study found that “the strongest practitioner reactions were pride or a sense of accomplishment in the client's success, pride in their own therapeutic skill, and a renewed sense of the therapeutic process” (p. 174).; In reviewing the similarities of the findings of these two studies, a comparison of results was first made between the two research strategies utilized in the present study.; In reviewing the tested hypotheses of the quantitative study, similarities were found in the qualitative studies among three hypotheses. As confirmed by the correlational analyses, Hypothesis 2a was supported in both studies. This hypothesis stated: practitioners who have high scores on ‘Management Termination’ Scale (more secure regarding management of termination) will have high scores on the question about ‘Ambivalence to Terminate’ (less ambivalence regarding termination).; Hypothesis 2b was also supported by both studies. Hypothesis 2b stated: practitioners who have high scores on the ‘Management Termination’ scale will have high scores on the question about ‘Doubt Effectiveness’ (less doubt regarding therapeutic effectiveness). Additionally, Hypothesis 3b was supported in the qualitative study. Hypothesis 3b stated: practitioners who have high scores on ‘Management Termination’ scale will have low scores on the ‘Therapeutic Pride’ scale (more pride in therapeutic effectiveness). The remaining hypotheses 1a, 1b, and 3a all concerning Professional Objectivity (Neutrality Scale) relating to ‘Ambivalence,’ ‘Doubt Effectiveness,’ and ‘Therapeutic Pride’ were not supported by the quantitative study. Themes regarding the degree in which practitioners could remain neutral in their feelings (Professional Objectivity) while involved in a termination, whether in their control or not, seemed to have some relevance on how they handled the termination. For instance, practitioners in the focus group conveyed that they were able to remain more objective when they were more secure regarding the management of termination with their clients.; Very similar to Fortune, et al., (1992) study, generally practitioners experienced positive reactions to termination when feeling secure in their management of termination or, when involved in a planned termination. Subsequently, practitioners who experienced positive reactions to termination when feeling secure in their management of termination had less doubt regarding their therapeut...