Twelfth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

The Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS) is a system of measures that allows clients in behavioral health settings to provide ongoing feedback on their perceptions of the progress they are making in therapy. PCOMS uses two, four item scales to gather client feedback regarding factors proven to predict success regardless of treatment method or presenting problem: early progress (using the Outcome Rating Scale) and the quality of the alliance (using the Session Rating Scale). Numerous studies have shown that clients who use PCOMS experience overall higher levels of positive outcomes in their behavioral health. However, little is known concerning what clients view as helpful about the use of PCOMS. It was the purpose of this preliminary study to explore clients’ perception about the use of PCOMS to gain a better understanding of “why” it seems to help.The population of interest in this study were individuals receiving (or recently received) clinical social work therapy services. There were a total of 13 clients in this sample from a local private behavioral health practice. Participants ranged in age from 23 to 59 years old. The average age of the participant was 42.38. They were each interviewed using a standard protocol. Results from these interviews helped to identify the aspects of PCOMS that clients’ viewed as helpful. This poster session identifies key themes.