ABSTRACT
The assessment of treatment outcomes is a branch of applied psychology that measures the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies and interventions. Though outcomes assessment has been done since the inception of psychotherapy in one form or another (e.g., case study), there has been a considerable focus on it during the 1990s. In response to policy and financial pressures, the beneficial effects of mental health services have been subjected to scrutiny. Although historically the measurement of therapeutic interventions was left mostly to outcome researchers, such measurement has recently become the responsibility of clinical agencies in order to support their efforts and demonstrate their effectiveness. A critical component of the assimilation of this information is the selection of an appropriate instrument.
