Using single case experimental design to evaluate the clinical effect of a multidisciplinary training in psychosocial interventions for people with serious mental health problems

Abstract

The provision of skilled support for people with serious mental health problems is informed by research evidence that specific interventions can improve outcome for clients and their carers in a number of areas, and that professionals can be taught these skills. However, evidence of treatment gains is limited and tenuous: there are problems with definitions of populations and interventions, and there is poor comparability between studies. In addition, there are specific difficulties in the evaluation of multidisciplinary training where different professionals have different roles, responsibilities and levels of baseline knowledge and skills. This paper considers the use of single case experimental design in the evaluation of the clinical outcome of a multidisciplinary, postgraduate, skills-based training in psychosocial interventions for people who have serious mental health problems. Single case design has the potential to overcome many of the factors that militate against the use of a randomised controlled trial; furthermore, generalisability is improved by replication across a small group of mixed clients: it allows the impact of the course on each client to be assessed in terms of his/her own goals and permits some explanation of treatment effects as well as giving an insight into the factors which help and hinder students attempting to implement evidence-based practice with this client group.