Factors affecting clinical outcomes in employee assistance programs

Abstract

This study examined whether short-term counseling received from masters' level social work practitioners in an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) setting leads to improved health status, as measured in five different ways (general health, current health perception, physical functioning, role functioning, and social functioning). The study also examined whether the number of sessions and/or supervisory status (job level, i.e., whether client was a supervisor or not) had an effect on health status. Using four items from the SF-12 on a sample of 470 EAP clients from a government consortium, this study compared scores collected at the client's first counseling session with those collected at his or her last session. The study's findings were the following: (1) some clinical outcomes (general health status, current health perception, role functioning, physical functioning, and social functioning) are improved by EAP in person counseling sessions provided by licensed social workers, (2) the number of sessions affects some clinical outcomes (e.g., general health status, role functioning, social functioning) but does not impact others (current health perceptions or physical functioning) and (3) clinical outcomes (general health status, current health perception, role functioning, physical functioning and social functioning) were similar for clients regardless of their supervisory status.