Peek

Counseling Outcomes of Children with Depressive and Anxious Symptoms with Relation to Counselor-Client Relationship and Religious Coping

Alexandrian Peek, B.S.

There is a growing need in the counseling field for research to examine the aspect of the working relationship between counselor and client and how that affects the outcome of counseling, especially among children. Recent studies (McElvaney & Timulak, 2013; Lambert, et al, 2002) have found that the outcome of counseling improved when the counselor was given feedback midway through the course of counseling on how the clients thought counseling was progressing. Few of these studies look at how the working relationship can affect the outcome of counseling with children. Research has shown the effect that the working relationship had on the outcome of counseling with adolescents was significant, but few studies have looked at childhood depression (Shirk et. al., 2008). Given the importance of religion and spirituality for many individuals, this is something that should be considered in outcome studies for children, with recent studies pointing in that direction (Pargament & Tarkeshar, 2001; Wade, Worthington, & Vogel, 2007). The current study assesses religious coping in children with depressive and anxious symptoms and therapeutic alliance compared to the overall change in symptoms (outcome) of counseling. Hypothesis (1) states that the measure of the therapeutic alliance will positively relate to counseling outcome. Hypothesis (2) states that the measure of the religious coping will positively relate to counseling outcome. A significant difference was found between adult and child therapeutic alliance though it did not have a significant relationship with the outcome. Religious coping also did not have a significant relationship with counseling outcome.

Keywords: outcome evaluations, children, depressive, anxious, therapeutic alliance, religious coping, counseling outcomes