Outcome and Session Rating Scales
The two measures we used most commonly at the Institute are the Outcome and Session Rating Scales. Because both were designed to give reliable measurements of client functioning (ORS) and client treatment satisfaction (SRS) in a brief time frame (i.e., 1-minute or less), they are meant to be used with every client in every session.
Sadly, most clinicians do not use outcome scales in their work with clients. This is likely because it requires a research and data management skillset that is less common amongst therapists and counselors.
At the Institute, our outcome data help us understand our clients better and provide them with better care. Several of us have doctoral degrees and world class research training that gives us the skills we need to collect, analyze, and interpret data in ways that help us to provide world class care for our clients.
Outcome Rating Scale
The ORS is a widely used and scientifically validated scale that is designed to assess clients’ individual (personal well-being), interpersonal (family, close relationships), and social (work, school, friendship) functioning (Miller et al., 2003).
Session Rating Scale
The SRS is a widely used and scientifically validated scale that is designed to assess clients’ satisfaction with therapy and the therapist (Duncan et al., 2003). This means that the SRS helps measure the strength of the alliance between therapist and client, which is one of the strongest predictors of treatment outcome (see Sprenkle et al., 2009).