Routine Outcome Monitoring in Couple and Family Therapy ― The Empirically Informed Therapist

This book explores methods to reduce the rate of clients not improving or deteriorating after couple or family therapy by integrating research into clinical practice. The chapter authors present routine outcome monitoring (ROM), a process that makes information more accessible early in the course of treatment. With feedback being given to the therapist on a regular basis throughout the entire treatment, the therapist and client have a source for evaluation of the therapy process and progress. Because this approach in therapy has no limitation with regard to treatment models, contexts, and client groups, it can be applied in a number of therapeutic contexts. Facilitating routine outcome modeling in combination with practice-oriented research can improve client outcomes.

Bruce E. Wampold, who was trained in mathematics (University of Washington) before earning his doctorate in Counseling Psychology (University of California, Santa Barbara), is the Patricia L. Wolleat Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison as well as Director, Research Institute at Modum Bad Psychiatric Center in Vikersund, Norway. Currently his work involves understanding psychotherapy from empirical, historical, and anthropological perspectives, which has led to the development of a contextual model of psychotherapy. His work is summarized in the forthcoming volume Great Psychotherapy Debate (with Z. Imel, 2nd ed., Routledge). He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, a Diplomate in Counseling Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology, the recipient of the 2007 Distinguished Professional Contributions to Applied Research Award from the American Psychological Association, and an Honorary Doctor in the Social Sciences, Stockholm University.