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Interpreting Progress Feedback to Guide Clinical Decision-Making in Children’s Mental Health Services

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Abstract

Measurement feedback systems (MFSs) can help improve clinical outcomes by enhancing clinical decision-making. Unfortunately, limited information exists to guide the use and interpretation of data from MFSs. This study examined the amount of data that would provide a reasonable and reliable prediction of a client’s rate of symptomatology in order to help inform clinical decision-making processes. Results showed that use of more data predicted greater levels of accuracy. However, there were diminishing returns on the ability for additional data to improve predictive accuracy. Findings inform efforts to develop guidelines on the interpretation of data from MFSs.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grant 12-103104-000-USP from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Katherine H. Tsai, Andrew L. Moskowitz, Todd E. Brown, Alayna L. Park & Bruce F. Chorpita

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  1. Katherine H. Tsai
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  2. Andrew L. Moskowitz
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  3. Todd E. Brown
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  4. Alayna L. Park
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  5. Bruce F. Chorpita
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Correspondence to Katherine H. Tsai.

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Tsai, K.H., Moskowitz, A.L., Brown, T.E. et al. Interpreting Progress Feedback to Guide Clinical Decision-Making in Children’s Mental Health Services. Adm Policy Ment Health 43, 199–206 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-015-0630-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-015-0630-4

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