Unique Beings Undergoing Standard Evaluations-A Qualitative Study of Adolescents' Experiences of the Assessment Processes in Psychotherapy

We explored how adolescents experience assessment and diagnostic evaluation in psychotherapy, and the types and qualities of interaction associated with these activities. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 adolescent clients in psychotherapy. Thematic analysis based on a reflexive phenomenological epistemology was used. The following themes were found: standardized assessment as (a) potentially obscuring contact with the unique personhood of the client, and (b) providing hope through trust in the therapist's competence in understanding the problems they face. We found two other themes related to how the tension between the polarity of the first two was resolved: (c) degree of perceived relational authenticity allowing for collaboration during professional procedures, (d) pressure from systems outside the dyad influenced the interaction around assessment issues. The findings are discussed in relation to organization of mental health care services, developmental needs, research on psychotherapy process, and implications for psychotherapy integration.