Predicting therapy duration from therapist experience and client psychopathology

This study examined the relationships among therapist experience, the cost of therapy services, the degree of client psychopathology, and the number o f therapy sessions clients attended following intake. The closed files of 4 07 clients at a university-based psychology outpatient clinic were examined . Results indicated that the duration of therapy was predicted from the exp erience of the graduate-student therapist, with higher levels of therapist experience predicting fewer therapy sessions. Although measures of client p sychopathology did not directly predict therapy duration, therapist experie nce became only a marginally Significant predictor when client psychopathol ogy was allowed to act as a covariate. Fees paid for therapy did not predic t therapy duration. These findings emphasize the importance of accounting f or therapist and client characteristics when examining client attendance in therapy. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.