The Development of a Short Form of the Clinically Adaptive Multidimensional Outcome Survey

• Main Author: Sanders, Peter William
• Format: Others
• Published: BYU ScholarsArchive 2017
• Subjects: psychotherapy; routine outcome measurement; psychometrics; Counseling Psychology
• Online Access: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/6462; https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7462&context=etd

The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) movement has gained considerable influence in the healthcare industry, including psychotherapy. The American Psychological Association's (APA) official stance on EBP encouraged clinicians to used standardized outcome measures in routine practice in order to establish the efficacy of their interventions. Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM) systems were designed specifically to accomplish this purpose, and have been shown to improve client outcomes and provide valuable aggregate data that contributes to empirical literature. Despite this research and the endorsement of the APA's official EBP stance, these measures have not been widely adopted by clinicians. Several studies have found that clinicians find the measures impractical and lacking in clinical relevance. In order to accommodate these clinician concerns, while still maintaining the major features of ROM, the Clinically Adaptive Multidimensional Outcome Survey (CAMOS) was developed. The CAMOS employs a unique system that allows clinicians to be able to tailor the measure to the needs of their client, while still maintaining a core of standardized items. The present study attempted to identify a short form of McBride's measurement model, in order to determine which items would form this standardized core. The study found evidence for the validity and reliability of the CAMOS short form. With this evidence, the short form can serve as the basis for the CAMOS's unique tailoring system. It is hoped that the novel features of the CAMOS can help accomplish the APA's goals in relation to EBP.