The psychometric properties of PSYCHLOPS, an individualized patient-reported outcome measure of personal distress

OBJECTIVE

Few studies report the psychometric properties of individualized patient-reported outcome measures (I-PROMs) combining traditional analysis and Item Response Theory (IRT).

METHODS

Pre- and posttreatment PSYCHLOPS data derived from six clinical samples (n = 939) were analyzed for validity, reliability, and responsiveness; caseness cutoffs and reliable change index were calculated. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to determine whether items represented a unidimensional construct; IRT examined item properties of this construct.

RESULTS

Values for internal consistency, construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and structural validity were satisfactory. Responsiveness was high: Cohen's d, 1.48. Caseness cutoff and reliable clinical change scores were 6.41 and 4.63, respectively. IRT analysis confirmed that item scores possess strong properties in assessing the underlying trait measured by PSYCHLOPS.

CONCLUSION

PSYCHLOPS met the criteria for norm-referenced measurement of patient psychological distress. PSYCHLOPS functioned as a measure of a single latent trait, which we describe as "personal distress."

Idiographic patient reported outcome measures (I-PROMs) for routine outcome monitoring in psychological therapies: Position paper

Idiographic patient-reported outcome measures (I-PROMs) are a growing set of individualized tools for use in routine outcome monitoring (ROM) in psychological therapies. This paper presents a position statement on their conceptualization, use, and analysis, based on contemporary evidence and clinical practice. Four problem-based, and seven goal-based, I-PROMs, with some evidence of psychometric evaluation and use in psychotherapy, were identified. I-PROMs may be particularly valuable to the evaluation of psychological therapies because of their clinical utility and their alignment with a patient-centered approach. However, there are several challenges for I-PROMs: how to generate items in a robust manner, their measurement model, methods for establishing their reliability and validity, and the meaning of an aggregated I-PROM score. Based on the current state of the literature, we recommend that I-PROMs are used to complement nomothetic measures. Research recommendations are also made regarding the most appropriate methods for analyzing I-PROM data.

Working with Goals and Trauma in Youth Mental Health

There is good evidence of the value of working with goals in youth mental health services and settings. As such, goal-oriented practice is seen as a core component of good mental health interventions. Yet, there is debate among clinicians and academics about whether working with goals is a valid approach with clients who have experienced trauma. In this paper, I will explore the impacts of trauma and argue that working with goals, including the use of tools that facilitate these practices, such as the Goal-Based Outcome (GBO) tool, is as vital when working in trauma-informed interventions, as with any other mode of practice or client group.