ENGAGEMENT IN ALCOHOL TREATMENT - THE CLIENTS EXPERIENCE OF, AND SATISFACTION WITH, THE ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW

Clients' experiences of routine alcohol assessment interviews at a the rapeutic day unit were studied in order to enhance understanding of th e factors associated with subsequent engagement in treatment. The pape r describes the development and use of the Client's Experiences and Sa tisfaction Questionnaire. The main finding from its use with 131 clien ts, was a positive association between the client's perceptions of the quality of the therapeutic relationship established during the interv iew, and subsequent engagement in treatment. Large differences were fo und between the engagement rates of different workers. Clients who wer e being referred for the first time and those with a SADQ score below 30 were less likely to engage. The findings are augmented with quotes from the clients themselves.