Discuss three different ways that the success of therapy can be assessed. What factors complicate the determination of whether treatment is successful?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

In order to determine whether treatment has been effective, some change needs to have occurred. Thus, some measure to effectiveness is needed, as well as a source of the necessary information. It should be noted, however, that sometimes people get well just with the passage of time. This must be considered when considering the effectiveness of treatment - did the treatment work, or would the person have improved without any care? Establishing whether improvements have occurred can be assessed with information obtained from the therapist, the client, family or friends of the client, test scores, and/or the measurement of overt behavior. Clearly, a number of these information sources are likely to be biased, either for treatment success or against it. Ideally, an independent source would assess treatment success and the measures employed would be objective. Obviously, this may or may not be possible. GRADING RUBRIC - 10 points total - 2 for each of 3 ways of measuring success, 2 for each of 2 complicating factors (time may fix problem, bias, need for valid measures, etc.)