The Session Report Form (SRF): Are Clinicians Addressing Concerns Reported by Youth and Caregivers?

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between clinician-reported content addressed in sessions, measured with the Session Report Form (SRF), and multi-informant problem alerts stemming from a larger battery of treatment process and progress measures. Multilevel multinomial logit models were conducted with 133 clinicians and 299 youths receiving home-based treatment (n = 3,143 sessions). Results indicate a strong relationship between session content and problems related to youth symptoms and functioning as reported by clinicians in the same session. Session content was related to emotional, family, and friend/peer problems reported by youth and youth behavioral problems reported by caregivers. High-risk problems (alcohol/substance use, harm to self or others) were strongly related to session content regardless of informant. Session content was not related to problem alerts associated with the treatment process, caregiver strain, or client/caregiver strengths. The SRF appears to be a useful measure for assessing common themes addressed in routine mental health settings.

Feedback mechanisms of change: How problem alerts reported by youth clients and their caregivers impact clinician-reported session content

“…A follow-up study on the relationship between clinician-reported content addressed in sessions and concurrent multi-informant problem alerts found several differences in session content based on type of problem alert and reporter. Clinicians reported addressing content related to emotional, family, and friend/peer problems more when reported by youths, while content related to youth behavioral problems occurred more when reported by caregivers (Douglas Kelley et al, 2012). High-risk problems (alcohol/substance use, harm to self or others) were strongly correlated with session content when reported by anyone (clinician, youth, or caregiver).…”

“…They are the same sub-sample used in the previous study (Douglas Kelley et al, 2012) that explored the relationship between clinician-reported session content and concurrent multi-informant problem alerts. All clients had presenting problems encompassing a range of common youth mental health issues (e.g., mood and anxiety disorders, school problems, oppositional behavior, and impulsivity/attention deficit disorders) and were receiving ‘treatment as usual’ mental health care, typically in home-based settings.…”

“…The current study was intended as the next step to build on previous findings (Douglas Kelley et al, 2010/2012) and is part of a larger study investigating the effects of feedback to clinicians on clinician behavior and client outcomes in community youth mental health treatment. The intervention is called Contextualized Feedback Systems (CFS).…”

“…Both of these hypotheses are predicated on the possibility of increased awareness of client problems based on viewing related problem alerts in the feedback reports. The third aim is exploratory and was partially based on previous findings from the Douglas Kelley and colleagues (2012) study, which found session content correlated differently based on type of problem and reporter.…”

The Peabody Treatment Progress Battery: History and Methods for Developing a Comprehensive Measurement Battery for Youth Mental Health

“…The SRF is completed every session during treatment and discharge. See Kelley, Vides de Andrade, Sheffer, & Bickman (2010) and Kelley, Vides de Andrade, Bickman, and Robin (2012; this issue) for more information on the SRF.…”