ABSTRACT
A primary aim of this chapter is to assist mental health programs with making decisions about improving treatment services with psychological testing procedures that fit smoothly into the delivery of mental health services. One problem faced by practitioners when arguing for a particular level or mode of care is that little evidence exists in the research literature to guide decisions that link both type and amount (or dosage) of an intervention (Hermann et al., 2002; Mumma, 2001; Newman, & Tejeda, 1996). Traditional clinical research designs contrast an experimental condition with a control condition by fixing the treatment dosage level for each of the conditions and comparing the outcomes with that dosage between groups over time. This research model works well when the purpose is to determine baselines for therapeutic dose ranges. Mental health services do not work that way. In practice, mental health clinicians work with the client to achieve an agreed level of functioning or reduction in symptom distress, or both. The modification of research strategies for guiding clinical decisions begins with a shift toward use of psychological tests (or assessments) measures that support the demands of clinical decision-making. The following sections provide guidelines for selecting one or more such instruments most suitable for treatment planning, mapping client progress, and measuring treatment outcome.
