ABSTRACT
David Burns and Nolen-Hoeksema found that not completing homework assignments was a strong indicator of premature termination in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). The role of homework assignments in Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and other approaches to CBT is not only theoretically important but shown from empirical studies to be practically important in engaging clients in therapy and enhancing treatment gains. It is crucial that therapists negotiate homework assignments with clients rather than unilaterally assign these tasks to them. A negotiating approach to homework tasks helps to avoid client reactance. When reactant clients are told to do something they often seek to regain their autonomy by resisting such authoritative influence. While negotiating homework assignments with clients, help them see the relevance of undertaking such assignments to achieving their therapeutic goals. Homework assignments play such a key role in facilitating client's progress towards their goals, take great care to negotiate assignments rather than assign them unilaterally.
