Measurement and psychotherapy. Evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence.
BACKGROUND
Measurement is the foundation of evidence-based practice. Advances in measurement procedures should extend to psychotherapy practice.


OBJECTIVE
To review the developments in measurement relevant to psychotherapy.


METHODS
Domains reviewed are: (a) interventions; (b) case formulation; (c) treatment integrity; (d) performance (including adherence, competence and skillfulness); (e) treatment definitions; (f) therapeutic alliance; and (g) routine outcome measurement.


RESULTS
Modern methods of measurement can support 'evidence-based practice' for psychological treatments. They also support 'practice-based evidence', a complementary paradigm to improve clinical effectiveness in routine practice via the infrastructure of Practice Research Networks (PRNs).


CONCLUSIONS
Advances in measurement derived from psychotherapy research support a model of professional self-management (practice-based evidence) which is widely applicable in psychiatry and medicine.
Margison
F R
FR
Department of Psychotherapy, Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK. frmargison@aol.com
Barkham
M
M
Evans
C
C
McGrath
G
G
Clark
J M
JM
Audin
K
K
Connell
J
J
D002983:Clinical Competence; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results