Short Progress Assessment (SPA)

Author: Bruno A. Cayoun PsyD, MiCBT Institute

Description: This client-rated questionnaire enables week-by-week assessment of progress with therapy. It is used for both clinical and research purposes. The SPA acknowledged both 'outcome' and 'process'. Outcome measures involve two main scales, Severity (symptomatology) and Manageability (self-efficacy). Interviewees are asked to evaluate their levels of symptom severity and manageability on five subscales (Behavioural, Cognitive, Interoceptive (body sensations), Affective, and Interpersonal) using a 5-point Likert-type scale.
In addition to rapid assessment of outcome, the SPA also measures the process of therapy with two Perceived Outcome scales. One is the Perceived Improvement scale, which requires the Interviewee to summarise how much they perceive their improvement to be on the five subscales cited above. The other is the Satisfaction with Therapy scale, which provides rapid evaluation of client satisfaction on five measures: Therapy Type, Therapy Length, Relationship with Therapist, Skills Learned, and Cost (If applicable). Administration requires between 2 and 3 minutes. Readability is appropriate for scorers from age 12 and adults.

Research: The instrument has been piloted and used in mainly clinical settings in the last 8 years. Psychometric data have been collected by Bruno Cayoun and colleagues at the University of Tasmania and in the Tasmanian community (N=380). Preliminary norms are also available for 3 age groups. The study shows good validity and reliability and should be published by early 2010 by  Bruno Cayoun and Sabrina Maeder. Data are also continually being collected from various clinical services in Australia.

Research collaboration is welcome and can be discussed with the principal author.

The SPA forms can be freely reproduced for clinical and research purposes.

   →  Download SPA 

   →   MSES