Collaborative assessment methods

Collaborative assessment methods (CAMs) involve working with clients during all phases of the assessment process, from goal definition to interpretation of the testing results to the recommendations and conclusions. This chapter defines CAMs, provides clinical examples, and then meta-analyzes the published literature assessing their effectiveness on distal treatment outcomes. The meta-analytic results indicate that CAMs have positive effects on three outcome domains: a moderate effect on treatment processes, a small to moderate effect on personal growth, and a small effect on symptom reduction. There is little research evidence on the immediate, in-session effects of CAMs. The chapter concludes with diversity considerations, training implications, and therapeutic practices grounded in this research evidence.