Deterioration in Individual Psychotherapy: The Effectiveness of theClinical Support Tools

• Main Author: White, Melissa Mallory
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2019
• Subjects: deterioration; psychotherapy outcomes; progress feedback; off-track clients; Clinical Support Tools
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/7479; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8479&context=etd

Researchers have found evidence that when clinicians use an evidence-based feedback system that uses Clinical Support Tools (CST) for not-on-track clients, deterioration rates fall and success rates improve (Shimokawa et al., 2010). Despite multiple studies finding evidence in support of using the CST, there has been a discrepancy between effect sizes (i.e., d = 0.5; Simon et al., 2012). As such, further replicate of these past studies is needed to discover if small effect sizes still persist and if so, what possible variables may contribute to inconsistent findings. For the current study, it was predicted that the use of the CST would result in significantly lower OQ-45 scores at treatment termination after controlling for the intake OQ-45 score. Additionally, previous research indicated that the combined intervention of the progress feedback plus CST would significantly reduce deterioration rates with those NOT. Out of 1,122 participants, 172 were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: The CST feedback group (n = 71) and the no CST feedback group (n = 101). There was not a significant difference in the mean OQ-45 scores for the CST feedback group (M = 2.39, SD = 20.95) and the no CST feedback group (M = 4.17, SD = 19.74). The results of this study raise questions about how regularly the therapists were monitoring their clients' progress feedback and whether the CST are effective. Additionally, the author evaluates the timing of when the CST were administered to clients and when therapists reviewed the feedback.