Leadership and Therapeutic Outcomes: A Case Study Examining the Contribution of Servant Leadership to Symptom Remission and Client Satisfaction

Many have researched the topic of servant leadership over the past 35 years, seeking to understand its tenets and what makes it an effective leadership style. Since Robert K. Greenleaf (1970) introduced his theory, many have disagreed over the definition of the construct that would best allow a study of this style of leadership. The current study is the first time a researcher has attempted to connect leadership and client outcomes within a mental health setting. It is also the only study showing the effects of servant leadership in a mental health setting. The results of this study, as measured by the Servant Leadership Survey, explain how the servant leadership qualities of accountability, empowerment, and standing back affect therapist retention in various ways, both through explanations behind their tenure as well as length of employment. The Therapist Retention Survey (TRS) as well as Open-Ended Interview Questions to capture qualitative reasons for therapist retention were developed for use within this study. Through this study, this author sought to understand servant leadership\u27s impact in mental health settings and examined both the leadership and client outcomes of a community mental health center in light of the research on servant leadership. This researcher examined the leadership, staff retention, and client outcomes of a community mental health center in light of the research on servant leadership. This author sought to answer the question: Does Therapist Retention Mediate the Relationship Between Servant Leadership of Board Members and Client Self-Report of Symptom Remission and Satisfaction at Asian American Christian Counseling Service (AACCS)? It was hypothesized that the data would show significant relationships among the three variables of servant leadership, staff retention, and client satisfaction. Regression Analysis and ANOVA revealed the servant leadership qualities of accountability, empowerment, and standing back were positively related to therapist retention