Client Change Interview

The Client Change Interview (Elliott, 1999) is a 60 to 90 minute interview that can be administered at the end of therapy and at regular intervals throughout therapy. The interview questions attempt to explore the changes that a person has noticed since therapy began, what the person attributes these changes to, and helpful and unhelpful aspects of therapy. 

Specifically, clients are asked to identify half a dozen or so changes that they have noticed, including any changes for the worse. The client is prompted to consider changes in thoughts, feelings, actions, or ideas that have come to the person, or been brought to their awareness from others. The client is then asked to rate each of these changes according to how expected versus surprised they were by it, how likely versus unlikely that the change would have occurred without therapy, and how important or significant the change was for the person. The interview schedule then goes on to ask the person what they think has caused the various changes, including things both outside and within therapy. Finally, the client is asked to consider what has been helpful about therapy, and what kind of things about their therapy were hindering, unhelpful, negative or disappointing for them. 

In the revised version of the interview (Elliott & Rodgers, 2008), clients are also asked about what resources, either personal strengths or things in their life situation, that they feel have helped them to make use of the therapy, as well as any limitations, either personal weaknesses or difficulties in their life situation, that have made it harder for them to make use of therapy. Clients are then asked about what it was like to be involved in the research, including what has been helpful about the research, and anything hindering, unhelpful, negative or that got in the way of therapy.

Copyright © Brian Rodgers, 2011 (all rights reserved and protected under UK and International law)