The responsiveness and clinical utility of the Australian therapy outcome measure for indigenous clients

The Australian Therapy Outcome Measure for Indigenous Clients (ATOMIC) was created to measure how well therapy works for First Australian children. This research investigates whether it also works with adult First Australians. Two studies were undertaken: a quantitative study to see whether ATOMIC scores changed before and after therapy and a qualitative study, which asked people what they thought about using the ATOMIC. ATOMIC scores went up after therapy, indicating it is sensitive to change, and both clients and therapists liked using the ATOMIC and found it useful. It matched well with how First Australian adults see health care and helped set goals for therapy. The results of the study show that the ATOMIC is helpful for both clients and therapists in understanding how well therapy works and helps to set goals that make sense culturally. This study looked at one health service in one regional area, so more research is needed to establish whether it works elsewhere. Overall, the results indicate the ATOMIC is a promising step towards better therapy for Indigenous Australians.