PSYCHLOPS (Psychological Outcome Profiles) is a recently developed, client‐generated, psychometric instrument that can be used as an outcome measure. Based on a similar instrument developed primarily for use in physical illnesses (MYMOP — ‘Measure Your Medical Outcome Profile’), it seeks the client's perspective on their psychological distress. It asks them to describe and then score the problem that troubles them the most at the start of counselling. We describe the development of PSYCHLOPS, including the involvement of the Plain English Campaign and two national mental health organisations: the mental health charity and support group, Depression Alliance (DA) and Primary Care Mental Health Education (PRIMHE). We review the literature and suggest that PSYCHLOPS, by focusing on the problems of greatest priority to the client, might prove a sensitive measure of improvement after counselling.

Limited available evidence suggests that disaster support work may have negative effects. This study attempts to examine the impact of disaster-related stress on helpers offering psychological support to victims of two major disasters, and to identify potential moderating factors. Sixty-seven social workers were surveyed, measures being taken of psychological symptomatology and wellbeing, personality variables, social support, life events, and various aspects of disaster support work. Comparison with normative data suggested that subjects were experiencing significant levels of stress. Two major sources of disaster-related stress were identified: role-related difficulties and contact with clients' distress. Approximately one third of the variance in helper response could be explained by variables reflecting coping style, prior life events and the aforementioned aspects of disaster support work. Follow-up data at 12 months demonstrated persisting high levels of stress.

The effects of disaster work on helpers, both of the emergency services type (rescue, recovery, and identification personnel) and those who offer psychological support, are reviewed. In terms of emotional, cognitive and behavioural effects, a significant number experience short-term stress and a small percentage experience long-term effects, which may be of the fluctuating nature. The extent and nature of the encounter with death, and organizational factors appear as particular stressors. Coping styles (eg hardiness), age, experience and social support have been identified as moderating factors. Positive, as well as negative effects are observed.

PSYCHLOPS ('Psychological Outcome Profiles') is a newly developed client-generated psychometric instrument which can be used as an outcome measure. Uniquely, it asks clients to state their own problems, in their own words. As part of its validation, we used it alongside an existing measure, CORE-OM ('Clinical Outcomes Routine Evaluation Á/ Outcome Measure'). Based on a qualitative methodology, we report here on the first-hand experiences of four therapists using both instruments.The key themes that emerged from therapists' responses were feasibility, validity and usefulness. Both questionnaires were perceived as complementing each other, the qualitative information from PSYCHLOPS balancing the quantitative information from CORE-OM and that both could contribute to the therapist-client interaction. The key features of PSYCHLOPS are likely to prove attractive to therapists and should increase acceptance and uptake of outcome measures.

Aims: Outcome measures (OMs) and routine change measurement have developed dramatically in psychological therapies over the last two decades and some therapists have expressed concerns that this, depending on how it is handled by the parties involved, can markedly affect the therapy. However, little research has investigated this. It therefore seemed timely to explore discourses of OMs drawn upon by both parties in the therapy room. Method: PSYCHLOPS (Psychological Outcome Profiles) is a client-centred measure which offered an opportunity to explore how therapists and clients receiving CBT for psychosis talked about OMs. A useful contrast was provided by the CORE-OM (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure). The discourses drawn upon by clients (n 04) and therapists (n 04) were analysed, informed by a Foucaultian framework. Results: OMs were constructed as empowering or disempowering of clients, as being able to do therapeutic work of engagement and containment, and as part of the apparatus of service power, positioning therapists as relatively powerless to question their use. Discussion: It is suggested that client-centred measures like PSYCHLOPS, although partly aligned with a recovery framework, may become part of top-down state and service power, and there is a need for more research into the different ways in which OMs are used in therapy and the impacts on therapists, clients and their relationships.