Estimating and Reporting Clinical Significance in Counseling Research: Inferences Based on Percent Improvement

Abstract

A guide for professional counselors and counseling researchers for calculating and interpreting Percent Improvement as an indicator of clinical significance is provided. Strategies for reporting findings are described and illustrated. Guidelines for contextualizing discussions of clinical significance within the boundaries of psychometric evidence are presented.

Keywords:

• Clinical significance
• percent improvement
• outcome research
• treatment effects

Additional information

Notes on contributors

A. Stephen Lenz

A. Stephen Lenz, PhD, LPC, NCC, is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at The University of Mississippi. Dr. Lenz specializes in assessment development and community-based approaches for counseling outcome research and program evaluation.