The influence of outcome measures in assessing client change and treatment decisions

This study investigated the influence that information in the form of outcome measures and client verbal reports can have on treatment decisions and clinician judgment of client change. A random national sample of psychologists (N=810, 45% response rate) were given clinical vignettes and asked questions regarding their view of client progress and subsequent treatment decisions. Despite clinicians reporting that verbal report is more influential in their actual clinical practice than outcome measure information, both sources of information had an equal impact on judgments of client change. Negative information (from either source) influenced clinicians more than positive information. Outcome measure information indicating client deterioration led more clinicians to choose to alter treatment than client verbal report of deterioration. Information indicating client improvement led some clinicians to continue treatment in the same manner as they had been. Insight-oriented therapists were more likely to continue treatment-as-usual than were cognitive-behavioral therapists.