[The role of the therapist: the 'forgotten' factor in ROM]

Abstract

Background: Routine outcome monitoring (ROM) can only improve the quality of mental health care if the therapist is prepared to accept ROM-feedback. However, most implementation procedures tend to focus on the organisation of the measurements rather than on the role of the therapist.

Aim: To obtain a better understanding of the characteristics of the therapist which influence his/her attitude to the use of the feedback that ROM generates.

Method: Therapists were asked to complete two questionnaires that measured their attitude to rom feedback. Six months later several therapists were asked to complete a questionnaire that measured the barriers of the use of ROM feedback.

Results: Therapists with a preference for external feedback and therapists who felt that the feedback was valuable had a positive attitude to ROM. Barriers that prevented therapists from using feedback included the need to attend to other pressing tasks and a lack of time.

Conclusion: In ROM implementation procedures more attention needs to be given to the role of the therapist.