Chapter 11 – Progress Monitoring

This is the second chapter in the section on professional judgment. Progress monitoring is essential for determining whether or not a treatment has produced meaningful outcomes for target clients. Procedures for collecting data and selecting appropriate single-subject research designs that can be used in real-world settings are briefly reviewed. However evidence-based practitioners collect considerably more information than client progress data to determine if an appropriate treatment is in place. Treatment fidelity, quality of adherence, and an implementation plan can all be used to determine if potential problems for the feasibility or sustainability of the treatment may occur. In addition, evidence-based practitioners collect ongoing data regarding target client preference, tolerability, and client satisfaction data in order to have an informed perspective before determining if a treatment should be retained, adapted, or rejected. Strategies for managing conflicting forms of evidence are offered.