Introduction: Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT) involves systematically tracking patients' progress during psychological treatment using two four-item self-report measures: the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) and the Session Rating Scale (SRS) (Miller, 2016). he ORS assesses client well-being, while the SRS evaluates the therapeutic alliance. Research shows that incorporating FIT into sessions can lead to shorter treatment durations and improved retention. Moreover, immediate feedback and self-reflection enhance clinicians' ability to respond empathically and collaboratively. However, implementing FIT can be challenging due to therapists' concerns about time constraints, discomfort in receiving feedback, and potential disruptions to therapeutic flow.
Purpose: Understanding how trainee therapists experience these challenges is essential for developing effective training models. This study explores the experiences and challenges faced by trainee therapists in integrating FIT into their practice.
Method: Participants currently include 14 trainee therapists who apply FIT while practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) under supervision at Izmir University of Economics' public mental health center. The study is ongoing and will continue until December 2025; thus, the sample size may increase as additional therapists join. A longitudinal qualitative design is used, with open-ended surveys administered at the beginning and end of the psychotherapy process. The survey explores their expectations, the challenges they encounter, and the impact of receiving client feedback on the therapy process
Results: Although data collection is ongoing, emerging themes suggest that trainee therapists initially experience discomfort when confronted with direct client feedback and struggle with integrating FIT tools into time-limited sessions. However, preliminary data suggest that over time, trainee therapists begin to feel more comfortable using the scales and become increasingly capable of handling negative feedback effectively.
Conclusions: Based on the potential findings, this study aims to propose practical recommendations for training therapists to engage effectively with client feedback and implement routine monitoring as an integral part of CBT practice.