Progress monitoring with couple clients

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to assess differences in treatment progress in couple who were in a treatment as usual condition or a progress monitoring condition. Previous research has suggested that progress monitoring is useful for couples, but that research did not include change in relationship satisfaction over time. Method: Using a sample of 130 couples who sought services at an on-campus training clinic, treatment satisfaction, progress, alliance and relationship satisfaction data over the first four sessions of treatment were analyzed with couples in two conditions. In the treatment as usual condition, neither the couple nor their therapist were provided with that information. In the feedback condition, the therapist shared the after-session feedback data in the form of graphs with the couple. Results: The results were mixed. There was little evidence that the feedback condition resulted in clients staying in treatment longer or ending treatment with agreement more often than clients in the TAU condition. Increases in relationship satisfaction, especially for female partners, were decreased in the feedback condition when male partners had higher trauma scores. Conclusion: It may be important for clinicians to consider what information they share with couple clients when using progress monitoring.