Improving the efficiency of cognitive-behavioural therapy by using formal client feedback.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychotherapy Research

Background:

• Client feedback is recognized to enhance psychological treatment effectiveness and efficiency.
• The specific value of client feedback within cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of client feedback on the outcomes of CBT.
• To determine if using the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) and Session Rating Scale (SRS) improves CBT effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 1006 outpatients comparing "treatment as usual" (TAU) with a "Feedback" condition.
• In the Feedback condition, therapists frequently discussed client feedback obtained via ORS and SRS.

Main Results:

• No significant improvement in overall treatment outcome was observed in the Feedback condition.
• A specific improvement in outcome on the SCL-90 was noted for mood disorders in the Feedback condition.
• The Feedback condition required an average of two fewer treatment sessions, indicating increased efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Frequent client feedback via ORS/SRS does not consistently improve CBT treatment outcomes.
• Implementing client feedback significantly enhances the efficiency of CBT by reducing the number of sessions required for equivalent outcomes.