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THE DISSEMINATION OF A THERAPY OUTCOME EVALUATION: AN EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF WORK CLIMATE/JOB SATISFACTION IN IMPLEMENTATION AND IN INTERRATER AGREEMENT OF CLIENT PROGRESS
Abstract
The current study was done following a consultation experience with a community mental health center in which a therapy outcome procedure was developed and implemented. The ease of implementation and the high degree of interrater agreement regarding client progress were later hypothesized as having been due to the harmonious work climate and high job satisfaction which appeared to exist at this particular community mental health center. The therapy outcome procedure was reimplemented at the original agency and at two other community mental health centers, as well as, at a residential drug treatment facility. Work climate and job satisfaction measures were taken at all agencies, and the degree and ease of implementation were assessed via an implementation checklist. Contrary to expectations, the degree of interrater agreement within agencies did not vary significantly with the reported work climate/job satisfaction. Regardless of reporting high or low job satisfaction, the degree of agreement occurring among perspectives within an agency was high. Contrary to the results of some previous studies which found a lack of agreement across perspectives about therapy outcome, it is suggested that trained individuals, familiar with the types of clients being treated, can agree on the outcome of therapy. Ease and degree of implementation did parallel the reported job satisfaction across agencies. The agency reporting the highest job satisfaction, implemented the procedure easily and totally. The agency reporting the lowest job satisfaction would not have completed implementation had it not been for significant involvement by the consultant. And, the remaining two agencies, whose report of job satisfaction was in the middle, did implement the procedure, but not as easily or as totally as did the agency reporting the high job satisfaction. These results are discussed in relation to previous authors' hypotheses regarding the dissemination of innovation. It is suggested that it may be useful to think of agencies as having a hierarchy of needs. Innovations addressing needs higher in the hierarchy will be more likely to succeed. Furthermore, there may also be certain basic agency needs (e.g., staff job satisfaction) that, if unmet, will block the adoption of any innovation until these needs are satisfied.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy
Recommended Citation
SADAR, MITCHELL M, "THE DISSEMINATION OF A THERAPY OUTCOME EVALUATION: AN EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF WORK CLIMATE/JOB SATISFACTION IN IMPLEMENTATION AND IN INTERRATER AGREEMENT OF CLIENT PROGRESS" (1983). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8401392.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8401392