Providing feedback to psychotherapists on their patients' progress: Clinical results and practice suggestions

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychology Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 165 - 174
• Main Authors: Lambert, Michael J., Harmon, Cory, Slade, Karstin, Whipple, Jason L., Hawkins, Eric J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.02.2005; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Clinical outcomes; Feedback; Feedback, Psychological; Humans; Medical treatment; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) - methods; Patients; Psychotherapy; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0021-9762; 1097-4679
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20113

We describe and illustrate our system to measure, monitor, and feed back information about patient treatment. This clinical innovation relies on research‐based clinical decision tools that provide psychotherapists with timely warnings when a patient's deviation from an expected treatment response foretells possible treatment failure. We summarize the results of four controlled studies using this methodology; the collective results suggest that measuring, monitoring, and predicting treatment failure (feedback) enhance treatment outcomes for patients who have a negative response. Clinicians are encouraged to employ these methods in routine practice despite their confidence in their own ability to predict patient outcome. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol/In Session.