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Published on: July 27, 2018
Generating practice-based evidence for common mental health problems using routine outcome monitoring: a protocol for
Clara Paz1, Itaty Benalcázar-Betancourt2, Jorge Valdiviezo-Oña2
1Grupo de Investigación Bienestar, Salud y Sociedad, Escuela de Psicología y Educación, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador clara.paz@udla.edu.ec.
Introduction:
Practice-oriented research uses scientific methods to generate practice-based evidence on psychotherapy processes and outcomes. The Consorcio Latinoamericano de Investigación en Psicoterapia (CLIP) unifies data collection across multiple sites to enhance the value of routine outcome monitoring. This project aims to generate practice-based evidence on the implementation, progress and predictors of change in psychological interventions within Ecuador's routine mental health settings, using CLIP's unified data forms.
Methods And Analyses:
This is a protocol for an observational, naturalistic, longitudinal study. From February 2025 to February 2028, we will describe implementation processes and examine intervention progress and outcomes across 11 Ecuadorian mental health services. Participants will include adolescents (11-17 years) and adults (≥18 years) seeking psychological intervention along with their therapists and trainees. Clients' change will be monitored through psychological distress measures. Socio-demographic and intervention satisfaction data will be collected alongside information on therapists and services. Analyses will include initial contact characterisation, reliable change, outcome predictors and the examination of how time, therapist and service characteristics each contribute to clients' change.
Ethics And Dissemination:
The protocol for this study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Universidad de Las Américas, Ecuador (ID: 2024-OBS-033). The results will be disseminated within the services for service improvement, in peer-reviewed scientific articles and at conferences and workshops.
Trial Registration Number:
NCT07257848.
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