title: Patient-reported outcomes in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS): use of idiographic and standardized measures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is increasing emphasis on use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in mental health but little research on the best approach, especially where there are multiple perspectives.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present emerging findings from both standardized and idiographic child-, parent- and clinician-rated outcomes in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and consider their correlations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcomes were collected in CAMHS across the UK. These comprised idiographic measures (goal-based outcomes) and standardized measures (practitioner-rated Children's Global Assessment Scale; child- and parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was reliable positive change from the beginning of treatment to later follow-up according to all informants. Standardized clinician function report was correlated with standardized child difficulty report (r  =  - 0.26), standardized parent report (r  =  - 0.28) and idiographic joint client-determined goals (r  =  0.38) in the expected directions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that routine outcome monitoring is feasible, and suggest the possibility of using jointly agreed idiographic measures alongside particular perspectives on outcome as part of a PROMs approach.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Evidence Based Practice Unit, UCL and Anna Freud Centre, London, UK. miranda.wolpert@annafreud.org
authors.forename: Miranda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolpert
authors.forename: Tamsin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trustam
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deighton
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flannery
authors.forename: Andrew  J B
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fugard
authors.forename: Rew J B
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fugard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004739:England; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010290:Parents; D012015:Reference Standards; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires