Ideas for this research were conceived following a discussion I had with the Director of the Canberra Marriage Counseling Service (CMCS) in 1979. Three aims of the research were identified. Firstly, to collect information about the counseling received by clients at the CMCS, from their points of view. Secondly, to collect information about the premature termination of some clients from marriage counseling interviews at the CMCS. Thirdly, to discuss other research findings in the light of this research and so provide a structure from which future research could be conducted. Clients were interviewed according to a questionnaire which I designed. Before the study began, a pilot study was conducted with a small group of clients, primarily, to assess the adequacy of the questionnaire. Clients who were involved in the study itself, all completed initial interviews with new counselors between and including the first day of February and the last day of March, in 1981. I interviewed all clients by telephone, who were usually at home between eight and nine o'clock, on Monday to Thursday evenings inclusive. Clients were asked questions about the counseling process, from the time that they presented with precipitating problems to the time that they considered returning to the CMCS or recommending its services -. to others. Raw data was collected on the following topics: clients' precipitating problems, expectations, motivation to attend counseling, rapport with their counselors, experiences during the counseling process, premature termination and counseling outcomes. Results were compiled by cross-correlating the raw data to obtain a composite picture of clients' counseling experiences. Many statistically significant findings were obtained and numerous recommendations have been made on the basis of the findings. Further research is recommended in three areas. Firstly, a study similar to this one should be conducted on a national scale to ascertain general standards of marriage counseling across Australia. Secondly, a series of experimental studies should be conducted on a number of specific issues raised in this research. Thirdly, case studies of individual clients should be conducted by CMCS counselors which would enable them to easily incorporate research work into their training and supervision programmes.

Title from title page of DOC (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed March 9, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. [74]-[87]).

In recent years the social service field has incorporated program evaluation. In this time of accountability, funding sources want to to know what they are buying. As they respond to this requirement, agencies often discover that they have been living with archaic record-keeping systems. Systems which are cumbersome, or do not collect needed information have become the focus for change. The context overview includes, first, information about the agency, Salem Area Family Counseling Service (SAFCS), second, about the catchment area from which it draws clients, and third, about the people it serves. The time perspective from which this is written is November, 1977, when the project began.

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