Open AccessOn the Topic of Treatment Integrity
Author(s) -
Perepletchikova Francheska
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
clinical psychology: science and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.285
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1468-2850
pISSN - 0969-5893
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-2850.2011.01246.x
Subject(s) - fidelity , proxy (statistics) , intervention (counseling) , structural integrity , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , intensive care medicine , psychotherapist , psychiatry , computer science , engineering , telecommunications , structural engineering , machine learning
[Clin Psychol Sci Prac 18: 148–153, 2011] Treatment integrity, also known as treatment fidelity, is integral for empirical testing of intervention efficacy, as it allows for unambiguous interpretations of the obtained results. Ensuring treatment integrity is also important for dissemination of evidence‐based practices and quality improvement of services. However, in the examination of the relationship between treatment integrity and treatment outcome, it is important to consider that treatment integrity may be a proxy variable for other variables impacting therapeutic change (e.g., characteristics of intervention, clients, setting, and therapist). Considerations on examining the association between integrity and outcome are discussed. Further, recommendations on the level to which treatment integrity needs to be addressed in psychotherapy research and clinical practice are provided.