In numerous randomised controlled trials, the feedback to
therapists of systematic assessments of therapy progress reduced
premature drop-out from therapy and enhanced therapy outcome
compared to treatment-as-usual.
Assessing therapy
progress systematically is important because therapists' clinical
judgements about client progress do not accurately predict which
individuals deteriorate across the course of therapy.
A meta-analysis of studies of individual therapy found progress
monitoring and feedback cut deterioration from 20% of clients (in
treatment-as-usual) to 5.5% of clients, and more than doubled the
number of clients identified as off-track who then improve.