This study explores how clients evaluate telephone counselling. The researcher was employed as a telephone counsellor in a company providing Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs). There is little published research on the effectiveness of telephone counselling and none where clients have been interviewed in depth. A qualitative approach was used to capture the depth and breadth of counsellor and client experience.
Two surveys were used; the first survey being three focus groups with counsellors to determine what evaluation they engaged in, both self-reflectively and with clients, and to discuss protocol and ethical issues. The second survey followed: a pilot interview was conducted with one client and then ten client research interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire.
Focus groups and interviews were recorded and transcribed. Template analysis was used as the researcher had a good working knowledge of both counselling and evaluation and was able to draw up a priori themes and an initial template.
The research found that clients evaluate telephone counselling by measuring change(s) they have made in feelings, thoughts and behaviours and by measuring the quality of their relationship with the counsellor. Clients found the delivery of counselling by telephone to be a positive therapeutic intervention; associating not being seen with not being judged by the counsellor. The outcome of the research offers suggestions for future evaluation of telephone counselling: a Theory of Change approach could be usefully used if counsellors and clients clearly articulated their use of a therapeutic contract and documented the process of change.
