What is the term for working with clients who refuse to engage in treatment?

The term that best fits the description of working with clients who refuse to engage in treatment is engaging difficult clients. This approach recognizes that some clients may present challenges due to their reluctance or refusal to participate in therapeutic processes. Engaging difficult clients emphasizes the importance of building a rapport and understanding their perspectives, motivations, and barriers to treatment.

This concept can involve employing various strategies to foster a therapeutic alliance and encourage participation, even in the face of resistance. The approach acknowledges the complexities of client relationships and seeks to facilitate deeper engagement, rather than simply labeling clients or trying to force compliance.

In contrast, terms like active avoidance or unwilling participation do not capture the proactive and constructive nature of the engagement process inherent in the work of social workers with clients resistant to treatment. Mandatory compliance implies a lack of agency and autonomy on the client's part, which is not conducive to the collaborative and person-centered philosophy of modern social work practice.