Client Perceptions of the OQ‐45 Outcome Assessment With Practicum Counselors‐in‐Training: A Mixed‐Methods Analysis

ABSTRACT Clinicians tend to overestimate their clients’ progress in treatment. A potential solution of adding formalized assessments into treatment has led to concerns about client paperwork burden. In this mixed‐method study, we explored adult clients’ reactions to one formal assessment, the Outcome Questionnaire‐45 (OQ‐45). We used purposeful sampling to select 17 clients at a university counseling training center who had either improved, showed little change, or who deteriorated according to OQ‐45. Using semi‐structured interviews and grounded theory, we identified two higher order categories, clinical benefits and threats to accuracy, and two axial categories, OQ‐45 likability and perceived accuracy. A crossover mixed analysis showed strong correlations between OQ‐45 outcomes, clinical benefits, and OQ‐45 likability. We proposed a conceptual model showing how client attitudes toward the OQ‐45 depended on how compatible outcomes were to clients’ perceived benefits received in counseling. Counseling implications and future research directions are discussed.