ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the type of counselling research that has been conducted in Britain, and to consider the place of research and evaluation within counselling as a whole. It refers as far as possible to research studies that are specifically in the area of counselling. Many more studies in fields such as psychotherapy, social work, nursing, and clinical psychology that addresses similar topics and constitutes a valuable resource for counsellors. Research into counselling has mirrored research in psychology and the social sciences in being largely split into two distinctive research styles: quantitative and qualitative. A very few assessment instruments take into account cross-cultural differences in understanding about psychological well-being, and as a result cannot readily be employed in multi-cultural counselling situations. The mechanics of carrying out an audit or cost-benefit analysis are fundamentally the same as the procedures involved in any counselling outcome study, and are subject to the same methodological problems.
