Patterns of individual change scales

Measurement of complex modifications in personal functioning is a necessary step to the relevant translation of psychotherapy research into clinical practice. Using an assessment strategy aimed toward decreasing subjective bias, we pursued an inductive clinical approach in constructing the Patterns of Individual Change Scales (PICS) battery. Designed for use with a bereaved population, each of the 13 scales has a unitary focus and hierarchy of functional levels across the domains of symptoms, social relations, and self-concept. Nine experienced clinical judges rated the scales after viewing videotaped evaluation interviews of 18 patients and 18 field subject. In general, the PICS had a suitable range for our borderline through normal population, reached acceptable levels of reliability, and could discriminate among subjects in clinically meaningful ways. Future analyses will consider issues of bias, validity, and generalization.