Evaluation and research in the field of mental health form the foundation of practice at Hamm Clinic. At Hamm we integrate the use of high quality, evidence-based care in our day-to-day work with clients.
Clinical Evaluation
Effective evaluation, combined with intentional and collaborative care, is the path to successful treatment. We practice deliberately and evaluate our work with each client through use of standardized measures. Clients always work with us to determine what’s effective for them, and they can opt in or out of formal evaluation.
Hamm Clinic’s primary evaluation measure is the Outcome Questionnaire OQ-45.2. With each client’s permission, we administer this during the initial intake appointment and at regular intervals during therapy.
The OQ-45.2 is a relatively brief, self-report scale that measures client progress in four areas of functioning:
- Global assessment/quality of life,
- Symptoms of psychological distress,
- Interpersonal relationships, and
- Social role functioning (ability to work, go to school, and enjoy leisure activities).
Clinical Research
Individual OQ-45.2 data help the provider evaluate the effectiveness of therapy, and combined data help us measure overall outcomes for the clinic.
Clients come through our doors experiencing a wide array of life circumstances, and determining the effectiveness of therapy can be complicated. A mix of issues, such as physical health, financial security, family support, personal safety, race and gender, affect outcomes. Also, provider skills and levels of communication and comfort between the provider and client are determinants of client success in treatment.
Use of Hamm Clinic data in applied research demonstrates our commitment to quality services and to contributing knowledge to the overall mental health profession. Here are a few publications featuring Hamm Clinic:
- Attrition in Psychotherapy: A Survival Analysis (PDF)
- Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy With Older Adults, A Longitudinal Study (PDF)
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Quantitative, Longitudinal Perspective (PDF)
- Evaluating Psychodynamic Psychotherapy in a Community Mental Health Clinic (PDF)
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: An Effectiveness Study (PDF)
