Validation and Use of the Youth and Caregiver Treatment Outcome Expectations Scale (TOES) to Assess the Relationships Between Expectations, Pretreatment Characteristics, and Outcomes

Abstract

This study introduces the youth and caregiver versions of the Treatment Outcome Expectations Scale (TOES) and presents the results of comprehensive psychometric analyses in a large sample of clinically-referred youth (N = 291) ages 11-18 and their caregivers (N = 268). This study also examines whether expectations are predictive of early or overall treatment change as measured by changes in youth symptom severity rated by multiple respondents (youth, caregiver, and clinician). Additionally, the relationship between treatment outcome expectations and several background, pretreatment, and clinical variables is explored. Finally, this study investigates the correspondence in outcome expectations between dyads of youth and caregivers. Results demonstrate the TOES is a psychometrically sound measure for use in this population. Findings also indicate that while higher youth outcome expectations significantly relate to higher youth-rated internalizing symptom severity at baseline, they also relate to a faster rate of reduction in internalizing symptom severity. Additionally, caregiver age and youth gender were significant predictors of youth-rated outcome expectations. Results also demonstrate a small, positive correlation between youth and caregiver ratings of outcome expectations. Implications, future directions, and limitations of the study are discussed.

A naturalistic study of the effects of synchronous online chat counselling on young people's psychological distress, life satisfaction and hope

“…Pre‐session hope scores were also low, below the scale midpoint (Dew‐Reeves et al., ). In contrast, treatment expectations were generally high, above the scale's midpoint (Dew‐Reeves & Athay, ). After 6 weeks, the average psychological distress scores were significantly lower ( t (151) = 4.72, p < .001), and life satisfaction ( t (151) = 2.67, p = .009) and hope ( t (151) = 2.38, p = .018) were significantly higher.…”

“…The Treatment Outcome Expectations Scale determined client expectations about mental health treatment (Dew‐Reeves & Athay, ). Respondents use a 3‐point scale ranging from 1 (‘I do not expect this’) to 3 (‘I do expect this’) to respond to items such as ‘Counselling will help me learn how to deal with my painful feelings’.…”

Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale—PTPB Version (BMSLSS-PTPB): Psychometric Properties and Relationship with Mental Health Symptom Severity Over Time

“…The youth version is utilized in the current study. For more information on the TOES, see Dew-Reeves & Athay (2012) in this issue.…”

Optimism in the Youth Mental Health Online Counselling Environment

“…Respondents have answered the questions on a 6 point scale in every item (There is no time for all time), as well as the answers were averaged to score from 1 to 6. CHS-PTPB had shown the voice of psychometric nature, with the consistency of internal satisfying ( a 0.87) and the validity of convergent [18].…”