An economical direct and indirect consumer satisfaction evaluation was conducted in a rural community mental health center. The inquiry consisted of determining whether clients felt better after a therapy session than prior to it and if they were satisfied with the clinic services. Adjective Generation Technique (AGT) scores indicated that consumers felt significantly better after a psychotherapy session than the comparison group. Results from a postcard survey seem to support this finding, suggesting that approximately 80% of the consumers were satisfied with their clinic experience. The financial costs were less than $125 and staff time amounted to no more than 18 hours.
The paper demonstrates how one community mental health facility has engaged in outcome evaluation on a very limited budget. The evaluation model employs quasi-experimental research methodology. Clerical workers were trained to collect the data. Statistical analyses suggested that the treatment was beneficial, a finding further supported by a high level of client satisfaction. A group personality profile of clients seeking treatment from an outpatient center is presented, and the results of the study are discussed in relation to the psychotherapy research literature. The article concludes with a discussion of the ways in which the results of the study were utilized.
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