ARTICLE
ABSTRACT
Aim. Analysis of dropout in marital therapy. Method. Qualitative analysis of marital therapy of 20 couples. Results. 10 married couples completed therapy, which is understood as the attainment of therapeutic goals established in the contract and the termination of treatment as a result of a mutual agreement of the couple and the therapist. 10 couples dropped out of therapy as a result of a decision taken by either one or both spouses. Out of the 10 couples who ceased treatment, 5 dropped out after the first session and 5 more at later stages of the therapy process. Conclusions. Dropout in therapy is a result of a combination of many factors relating to both parties - the client and the therapist. An analysis of early therapy termination can assist the therapist in exploring his or her role in the therapy process and allows for the objective evaluation of successful and failed therapy outcomes. Additionally, it can enhance the therapist's professional knowledge and experience and can contribute to more professional planning and realisation of therapy with future clients.