Nine standardized scales for evaluating treatment outcome in a mental health clinic

Analyzed psychometrics of a package of standardized scales used to assess mental health treatment outcomes in a VA cost-effectiveness study (N = 451). Nine scales were derived: Family involvement, involvement with friends, labor market participation, symptomatology (both self-reported and therapist rated), substance abuse (alcohol and drugs), client satisfaction, and client goal attainment. Scales were drawn from several existing instruments, including the Denver Community Mental Health Questionnaire (CMHQ), the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), the Global Assessment scale, and others. Item-item and item-total correlations showed each scale to have high internal consistency. Principal components analysis demonstrated distinct factors for each scale and good clustering of items within scales. All scale items are discrete choice and have excellent interrater reliability. Validity was corroborated by multiple regression, which showed different scales to be sensitive to different predictors of follow-up status.