The Treatment Engagement Rating scale (TER) for forensic outpatient treatment: Description, psychometric properties, and norms

Abstract

The Treatment Engagement Rating scale (TER) is a Dutch therapist rating instrument for treatment engagement (TE) of forensic outpatients. It yields scores for nine components of TE, which are aggregated in a total score. Following an analysis of the concept of TE, the TER is described, and various psychometric analyses of data from a forensic outpatient sample are reported. The nine component scores were found to constitute a homogeneous scale with good internal consistency (α=0.93, n=328) and adequate inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.76, n=99). The validity of the TER is supported by correlations of 0.47, 0.66, and 0.91 (n=328) with measures for the motivation to engage in treatment. Applications for the TER in clinical practice and research are suggested.

Keywords:

• treatment engagement
• offender treatment
• test construction
• validation
• responsivity

Notes

1. The Dutch name is Beoordelingslijst Inzet voor de Behandeling (BIB).

2. De Tender in Deventer (185 patients); AFP North-Netherlands, sites in Assen (20) and Groningen (12); De Meren in Amsterdam (15); Kairos in Nijmegen (99).