Hindering events in psychotherapy with adolescents: a retrospective investigation of patients' recollection
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Abstract Background Adolescents often drop out of psychotherapy, with research indicating that almost half of adolescents abandon therapy prematurely. Authors have recommended that, in order to increase engagement and prevent dropout, it is important for clinicians to manage and maintain the therapeutic setting and the relationship. Objective This study was designed to investigate the impact of events that hinder the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy with adolescents, with attention to the adolescents' experiences of these events, how such events were managed within the therapeutic relationship and consequences for the course of treatment. Methods Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with adolescents and young adults who experienced negative events during their treatment. Results Following a structured thematic analysis, four main domains of hindering events were identified: (a) the nature of problems; (b) subjective experience; (c) response to the events; and (d) consequences of these events. Conclusion While there were some similarities between hindering events in adult psychotherapy and that undertaken with adolescents, findings indicate that working with adolescents presents specific challenges associated with limited independence that is typical of this stage of life, and this has implications for clinical practice.
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Moments of mismatch between therapists and (adolescent) patients frequently occur.
“It also stresses the importance of therapists being aware of potential “hindering events,” as moments of mismatch between therapists and (adolescent) patients frequently occur (Calabrò et al., 2024).”
From “And I Can Remind Myself That I Am All Of This”: adolescents’ experiences of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy (2024) · cites this paper as Calabrò et al., 2024
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Wilms, M. H. E., Roelofs, J., Alma, M., & Rijkeboer, M. M. (2026) · doi:10.22541/au.177027679.94373636/v1
- Authors
- Calabrò, A., Cassera, L., & Aschieri, F.
- Affiliations
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Calabrò, Alessia
- Venue
- Counselling and Psychotherapy Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2024-01-02
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1257-1268
- ISSN
- 1473-3145 (ISSN-L)
- 1746-1405
- OpenAlex
- W4390543888
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4
- FWCI
- 3.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Counselling and Psychotherapy Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Counseling Practices and Supervision
- Keywords
- adolescent psychotherapy, therapeutic relationship, treatment discontinuation, patient experience, patient independence, young adults, treatment engagement
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