Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT)
At Marsden Psychology, we value your feedback. We believe that feedback that we receive individually as therapists and overall as a service is invaluable and a necessary part of our role if we are to achieve our objectives of helping people in our community to overcome mental health problems.
Our approach is modelled on Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT), which is a transtheoretical, evidence-based approach for evaluating and improving the quality and effectiveness of therapy and mental health services in general. The most recent research shows that clients whose therapists use FIT on an ongoing basis are 2.5 times more likely to experience benefit from treatment. Using aggregated data from our FIT measures, Marsden Psychology has an above average effect size when compared to other mental health agencies, i.e. the effect of our therapy in helping clients improve mental health.
The Research
FIT involves regularly and systematically seeking out patients’ feedback to help practitioners understand:
- How their therapy is going
- Their thoughts and feelings about their professional relationship with the provider
- Their overall wellbeing
The best available research reveals that the use of routine and ongoing client feedback provides therapists and mental health services with the simple, practical, and meaningful method of documenting the usefulness of treatment.
Some of the advantages of feedback in therapy include:
- Improved retention rates in therapy
- Fewer no-shows at appointments
- Better patient health outcomes, including lower separation and divorce rates in couples therapy and higher treatment gains in psychotherapy, and
- Lower deterioration rates regarding patients’ mental health challenges or problems
How does it work?
At the start of each session, your therapist will ask you to rate how you have been over the last week in four different areas: individually (personal wellbeing), interpersonally (family and close relationships), socially (work, school, friendships), and overall (general sense of wellbeing). At the end of each session, your therapist will ask you to rate the session in four different areas: did you feel listened to? Were the goals and topics on point? Is the approach a good fit? And overall, was the session right for you? This provides an opportunity to discuss how the therapy sessions could improve or be better next time.
Our Effectiveness
The effect size measures how effective Marsden Psychology are as a mental health service overall. This is a measurement of change, that is, the overall change in mental health from the beginning of treatment to the end of treatment. Effect sizes are categorised as small (d = .20), medium (d= .50), and large (d= .80). In 2021, Marsden Psychology’s effect size is 0.85, which is considered a large effect size.
73%
OF CLIENTS REACHING THEIR GOALS
Percentage of clients reaching target
FIT analysis also allows us to measure how many of our clients are achieving clinically significant change as a result of therapy. In 2021, Marsden Psychology’s FIT analysis showed 73% of clients were reaching their goals for clinically significant change.
7.5%
IS THE AVERAGE DROP OUT RATE
Marsden Psychology Drop out rates
Research to date suggests that premature termination of therapy (or “drop out”), i.e. the decision of a client to end therapy early, averages about 47%. Marsden Psychology’s drop out rate is 7.5%, well below industry standard.
What to expect
Making your first appointment
Once you’ve decided to try therapy, call our kind and caring admin team on (02) 9139 0126 to discuss what you are having difficulty with and book your first appointment.
Attending the initial consultation
In the initial consultation, your therapist is looking to build a picture of how you’ve come to where you are today and what you are looking to get out of therapy. Your therapist will do their best to address any questions or concerns you may have about the process.
Creating a treatment plan together
Over the first three sessions, your therapist will work collaboratively with you to establish goals for therapy. They are designed to be specific, realistic, and tailored to your needs.
Undergoing therapy
As your therapy goes on, you will continue the process of building a trusting relationship with your therapist. You will work with them to find alternative ways of thinking and behaving, build resilience and learn new skills that will help to see yourself and the world differently, and promote helpful actions in life.
Ready to see a psychologist?
There can be lots of questions that come up when you’re trying to make a decision about whether to see a psychologist. If you have a question that we haven’t answered in our FAQ, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call us on (02) 9139 0126 or email info@marsdenpsychology.com.au . Our friendly support team will get back to you within one business day.