Using ROM in family therapy.

Abstract

Routine outcome monitoring (ROM) is in this article defined as a tool for feedback-informed therapy where clients' therapy relevant information is applied in real-time therapy. Because family therapy represents a comprehensive clinical setting, ROM is experienced as particularly useful. In a vignette from family therapy practice, the use of ROM is demonstrated on individual, couple, and family levels with reference to integrative systemic therapy. ROM information is shown to play a central role in the different phases of treatment. It is demonstrated how ROM facilitates patient-centered assessment that strengthens the therapeutic collaboration such as the working alliance, identifying treatment targets, and possible constraints. In particular, ROM revealing alliance rupture followed by alliance repair is emphasized as a crucial therapeutic event in this treatment.