The therapeutic alliance, or the provider-client bond, is known to exercise strong influence over client outcomes. That’s why a session-by-session understanding of how clients feel about the therapeutic relationship is crucial to enabling positive outcomes.
The Session Rating Scale form gives therapists a reliable instrument for measuring this feedback. MyOutcomes® SRS enables mental health providers to administer digital SRS forms and refine an evidence-based approach.
If you are interested in keeping track of your clients’ relationships after each session, we invite you to keep reading.
Understanding SRS forms
The first to be developed over a decade ago by Dr. Scott D. Miller and Barry L. Duncan asked clients to place a pencil mark. On the same principle, MyOutcomes® SRS enables clients to convey their experience by clicking a point on a line.
Clients see visual sliders they can use to rate the four fundamental dimensions of quality care:
- The relationship
- Goals and topics discussed
- The approach or method
- An all-encompassing view of the session
After receiving a score in less than a minute, therapists assess the client or client’s experience. They can see where their relationship might have weaknesses, and how that may be compromising the client’s progress.
Therapists receive individual scores for the scale’s four items, along with a composite measure that reflects the clients’ overall feelings about the most recent session. While a Session Rating Scale Form gives practitioners evidence on the clients’ recent feelings, comparison with historical measures shows if the therapeutic alliance is improving.
Incorporating Session Rating Scale forms to nurture a stronger therapeutic alliance
Based on individual scores, providers see where adaptation may foster a closer bond. That could be a matter of changing approaches, reviewing goals and topics, or communicating respect and understanding differently.
A quick outcome tracking system such as MyOutcomes® SRS makes it easy for mental health providers to administer the Session Rating Scale at the end of each session. The constant feedback they receive serves as a guide for testing the early success of new strategies or seeing if the current style of interaction promotes the intended outcomes.
The Outcome Rating Scale as a companion tool
Therapists looking to build a more feedback-informed practice may wish to jointly administer the Outcome Rating Scale and receive fuller client outcome reporting. Providers administer the ORS form in a similar fashion to the SRS. Using MyOutcomes® ORS, it takes a minute as well.
When a therapist uses one system for both, incorporating them into every session becomes more seamless. This is a significant advantage for most practices, especially given that perceived strain on clients can discourage some practitioners from soliciting feedback.
When clients provide feedback easily and quickly, therapists can ask for it with each session. While feedback generally leads to an improved understanding of the therapeutic alliance, receiving it regularly allows for a continually accurate view of the relationship. Combined with the outcome rating scale, this makes for a consistent overview of the therapeutic bond and its effect on progress.
Build a feedback-informed practice and empower client progress with MyOutcomes®
MyOutcomes® SRS helps you receive feedback from clients in just a minute. Our outcome tracking system is available on desktop and mobile, making it a fit for however you run your practice or what your clients find convenient.
Contact us today to take a leap in providing feedback-informed care by requesting a free trial, a quote, or a consultation.