Therapist and client behaviors in the first interview: effects on session impact and treatment duration.

The first-session behaviors of therapists and clients in 38 cases were observationally coded and their relations to client ratings of session impact and treatment duration were examined. Results indicate that few first-session global types of behaviors of participants affect treatment duration. Clients may suspend judgment about continuing in therapy until after they have attended more than one session, regardless of the first interview's impact. Thus, the first interview may be less crucial than traditionally asserted. It also appears that first-session behaviors of therapists and clients that are associated with greater impact may vary as a function of client type, that is, individuals as opposed to couples and families.