Monitoring Treatment Progress and Providing Feedback is Viewed Favorably but Rarely Used in Practice

Abstract

Numerous trials demonstrate that monitoring client progress and using feedback for clinical decision-making enhances treatment outcomes, but available data suggest these practices are rare in clinical settings and no psychometrically validated measures exist for assessing attitudinal barriers to these practices. This national survey of 504 clinicians collected data on attitudes toward and use of monitoring and feedback. Two new measures were developed and subjected to factor analysis: The monitoring and feedback attitudes scale (MFA), measuring general attitudes toward monitoring and feedback, and the attitudes toward standardized assessment scales-monitoring and feedback (ASA-MF), measuring attitudes toward standardized progress tools. Both measures showed good fit to their final factor solutions, with excellent internal consistency for all subscales. Scores on the MFA subscales (Benefit, Harm) indicated that clinicians hold generally positive attitudes toward monitoring and feedback, but scores on the ASA-MF subscales (Clinical Utility, Treatment Planning, Practicality) were relatively neutral. Providers with cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientations held more positive attitudes. Only 13.9 % of clinicians reported using standardized progress measures at least monthly and 61.5 % never used them. Providers with more positive attitudes reported higher use, providing initial support for the predictive validity of the ASA-MF and MFA. Thus, while clinicians report generally positive attitudes toward monitoring and feedback, routine collection of standardized progress measures remains uncommon. Implications for the dissemination and implementation of monitoring and feedback systems are discussed.