Practice-Based Evidence in Psychotherapy: A Multicentric Study From Ecuador

Practice-Based Evidence in Ecuador: Routine Monitoring of Outcomes and Change in Psychotherapy for Common Mental Health Problems

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the progress and outcomes of clients receiving psychotherapy for common mental health problems in Ecuador. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• How much do clients' psychological distress typically change during the course of their psychotherapy?
• What factors are associated with outcomes in real-world mental health services in Ecuador?

This study involves clients who are about to start psychotherapy at one of the participating mental health clinics in Ecuador. Participants will continue their regular psychotherapy sessions as usual. The only addition is that before their sessions, they will be asked to complete questionnaires about their general well-being. This routine check-in process will continue throughout their time in therapy. Contextual information will be collected before starting treatment, and satisfaction with the treatment and any contextual changes will be collected after treatment ends.

This project is an exploratory, descriptive, and longitudinal naturalistic study. Its primary objective is to systematically examine client progress and treatment outcomes across a network of psychological care services in Ecuador by implementing a Routine Outcome Monitoring system. As a naturalistic investigation, the study will be conducted within existing clinical settings, ensuring that findings reflect real-world therapeutic practices with adolescent and adult populations.

The research will be implemented across multiple psychological care centers throughout Ecuador. To provide a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic processes, data will be collected at three distinct levels. At the client level, psychological distress serves as the primary outcome variable, supplemented by sociodemographic information collected at pre-treatment and post-treatment intervals and treatment satisfaction measures at post-treatment. At the therapist level, clinicians will complete client intake forms at treatment initiation and personal style questionnaires at treatment conclusion. Additionally, service-level data will be gathered from each participating center to characterize operational contexts and organizational frameworks.

The anticipated outcomes of this initiative are substantial. It will establish systematic tracking of client progress throughout therapy, enabling identification of population-specific levels of psychological distress and change trajectories. Furthermore, the project aims to create a foundational framework for the widespread implementation of outcome measurement systems in Ecuador's mental health care context.

In the long term, this project seeks to promote the consistent and generalized adoption of Routine Outcome Monitoring systems, thereby contributing to the development of a Practice-Based Evidence culture in Ecuador and throughout Latin America. It will strengthen Practice-Based Research Networks in psychological interventions, particularly through collaboration with established organizations such as the Consorcio Latinoamericano de Investigación en Psicoterapia (CLIP), fostering regional cooperation and standardizing assessment methodologies across mental health services.

Clients

Inclusion Criteria:

• Be 11 years of age or older.
• Have sufficient ability to communicate in Spanish.
• Undergo psychological treatment at one of the mental health services included in the project.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Present substantial cognitive deficits that do not allow the development of the evaluation.

Therapists

Inclusion Criteria:

• Therapist providing psychological treatment at one of the mental health services included in the project.

Supervisors

Inclusion Criteria:

• Provide clinical supervision to therapists delivering treatment at any of the project's affiliated mental health services.