Progress Feedback and the OQ-System: The Past and the Future

A serious problem in routine clinical practice is clinician optimism about the benefit clients derive from the therapy that they offer compared to measured benefits. The consequence of seeing the silver lining is a failure to identify cases that, in the end, leave treatment worse-off than when they started or are simply unaffected. It has become clear that some methods of measuring, monitoring, and providing feedback to clinicians about client mental health status over the course of routine care improves treatment outcomes for clients at risk of treatment failure (Shimokawa, Lambert, & Smart, 2010) and thus is a remedy for therapist optimism by identifying cases at risk for poor outcomes. The current article presents research findings related to use of the Outcome Questionnaire-45 and Clinical Support Tools for this purpose. The necessary characteristics of feedback systems that work to benefit client's well-being are identified. In addition, suggestions for future research and use in routine care are presented.