The case for single-session therapy: Does the empirical evidence support the increased prevalence of this service delivery model?

Background A significant increase in the number of walk-in counselling clinics offering single-session therapy (SST) prompted this review of the empirical support for the effectiveness of SST. Aims The article is intended to (1) increase practitioners' knowledge of the empirical support for the effectiveness of single-session counselling with client populations typically served in community-based mental health and counselling agencies and (2) identify priorities for future research on SST. Method A thorough review of relevant databases was undertaken to locate published studies reporting client outcomes following SST. The focus of the review is research involving clients and presenting problems typically seen in community-based mental health and family counselling agencies. Results The findings suggest that the majority of clients attending either previously scheduled or walk-in SST find it sufficient and helpful. The studies imply that this model of service delivery leads to perceived improvement in presenting problems in general, and on specific measures of variables such as depression, anxiety, distress level and confidence in parenting skills. Conclusions Many of the studies have methodological limitations, and future research requires increased use of standardized measures, control groups and larger and more diverse samples.

[1]  D. Hopko,et al.  Behavioral Activation for Moderately Depressed University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial , 2009 .

[2]  Matthew A. Jarrett,et al.  One-session treatment of specific phobias in youth: a randomized clinical trial in the United States and Sweden. , 2009, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[3]  R. Inch,et al.  Brief solution-focused counseling: a practical effective strategy for dealing with wait lists in community-based mental health services. , 2009, Social work.

[4]  M. Leahey,et al.  A Comparison of Two Approaches to the Delivery of Walk-In Single Session Mental Health Therapy , 2008 .

[5]  M. Bobele,et al.  Single-Session/Walk-In Therapy with Mexican-American Clients , 2008 .

[6]  John K. Miller.  WALK-IN SINGLE SESSION TEAM THERAPY: A STUDY OF CLIENT SATISFACTION , 2008 .

[7]  R. Perkins,et al.  The effectiveness of single session therapy in child and adolescent mental health. Part 2: an 18-month follow-up study. , 2008, Psychology and psychotherapy.

[8]  C. L. Cameron.  Single session and walk‐in psychotherapy: A descriptive account of the literature , 2007 .

[9]  J. Reilly,et al.  Single-session solution-focused brief therapy and self-harm: a pilot study. , 2007, Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing.

[10]  J. Sommers-Flanagan.  Single-Session Consultations for Parents: A Preliminary Investigation , 2007 .

[11]  M. Townend,et al.  CBT-Based Early Intervention to Prevent Panic Disorder: A Pilot Study , 2007, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy.

[12]  R. Perkins.  The effectiveness of one session of therapy using a single-session therapy approach for children and adolescents with mental health problems. , 2006, Psychology and psychotherapy.

[13]  Russell Hurn.  Single-Session Therapy: Planned success or unplanned failure? , 2005, Counselling Psychology Review.

[14]  John K. Miller,et al.  Breaking down the barriers to clinical service delivery: walk-in family therapy. , 2004, Journal of marital and family therapy.

[15]  L. Roeger,et al.  Maintaining the gains: what worked in the year after brief family therapy , 2001 .

[16]  B. Bloom.  Focused Single-Session Psychotherapy: A Review of the Clinical and Research Literature , 2001 .

[17]  M. Kunik,et al.  One session cognitive behavioural therapy for elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , 2001, Psychological Medicine.

[18]  T. Heins,et al.  The place of single session family consultations: five years' experience in Canberra , 1999 .

[19]  A. Campbell.  Single Session Interventions: An Example of Clinical Research in Practice , 1999 .

[20]  S. Reeves.  Single session assessment and therapy for new referrals to CMHTS , 1997 .

[21]  Pat Boyhan.  Clients' Perceptions of Single Session Consultations as an Option to Waiting for Family Therapy , 1996 .

[22]  M. Garralda,et al.  Psychiatric intervention in primary care for mothers whose schoolchildren have psychiatric disorder. , 1995, The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

[23]  J. Littrell.  Singlesession brief counseling in a high school , 1995 .

[24]  C. Price.  Open days: making family therapy accessible in working class suburbs. - Paper developed from a presentation by Clive Price and Laurie MacKinnon at the Australian and New Zealand Family Therapy Conference (1992: Melbourne )- , 1994 .

[25]  M. Talmon.  Single Session Therapy: Maximizing the Effect of the First (and Often Only) Therapeutic Encounter , 1990 .

[26]  L. Whitaker,et al.  The development and efficacy of a university mental health service walk-in clinic. , 1980, Journal of the American College Health Association.

[27]  G. Schoener.  No-red-tape counseling for clients alienated from traditional services. Walk-in counseling center. Minneapolis, Minnesota. , 1977, Hospital & community psychiatry.