ABSTRACT
Reviewing homework is usually the first item on the session agenda. Overlooking homework review creates three problems: First, the patients usually begin to think that the homework is not important and, therefore, that treatment is something done to them than something they actively work on even absence of the therapist. Second, the therapists miss opportunities to correct mistakes such as the patients inadequately responding rationally to their automatic thoughts. Third, the therapists lose the chance to draw helpful lessons from the homework and to reinforce these lessons. Tompkins suggests 5 tasks for reviewing homework: consistent, curious, complimentary, Careful and Consider changing. A common problem is homework non-compliance. Persons suggest three common obstacles impeding homework completion: perfectionism, fear of failure and the need to please others. Difficulties in executing homework assignments can predicted from the client's case conceptualization. Padesky and Greenberger stress that the therapist should not see homework non-compliance as resistance to therapy but, instead, adopt a problem-solving outlook.
