The Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS): Merging clinical practice, training, and research

Psychotherapy (Chic). 2015 Dec;52(4):432-41. doi: 10.1037/pst0000029.

Abstract

The goal of this article is to present information about a standardized multidimensional measure of psychological symptoms, the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS; Locke et al., 2011; Locke, McAleavey, et al., 2012; McAleavey, Nordberg, Hayes, et al., 2012), developed to assess difficulties specific to college students' mental health. We provide (a) a brief review and summary of the psychometric and research support for the CCAPS; (b) examples of the use of the CCAPS for various purposes, including clinical, training, policy, and counseling center advocacy; and (c) implications of the integration of routine outcome monitoring and feedback for the future of training, research, and clinical practice. In particular, the article emphasizes how the assimilation of and symbiotic relationship between research and practice can address the scientist-practitioner gap.

MeSH terms

  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Counseling / education*
  • Counseling / methods*
  • Feedback
  • Humans
  • Inservice Training / standards
  • Inservice Training / statistics & numerical data
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Mental Disorders / therapy
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / standards
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Personality Assessment / standards*
  • Personality Assessment / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Student Health Services / standards
  • Students / psychology*
  • Translational Research, Biomedical / standards*
  • Translational Research, Biomedical / statistics & numerical data*