Psychological FeedbackSTICNorwayNCT01873742
The STIC Norway RCT Study: Using Feedback in Psychotherapy.
A study testing STIC feedback system in people with Psychological Feedback, run by Modum Bad at 3 sites in Norway.
Trial summary
Feedback in psychotherapy involves clients monitoring therapy process and progress, and on a frequent basis clients register these data into online questionnaires. These data are then fed back to the therapist, hence informing about the process and progress in therapy. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 70 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Psychological Feedback
- What is being tested?
- STIC feedback system
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 328 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesNorway
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2013to 15 Oct 2016
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 70 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- individuals,
- couples,
- families in Norwegian couple- and family therapy contexts
Who cannot join
- psychosis,
- current drug and alcohol abuse,
- violent and threatening behavior,
- not enable to understand Norwegian or English language.
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country.
Norway3 sites
Drammen - Kongsberg family agency
Drammen, Buskerud, 3000
ABUP, Sørlandet sykehus
Kristiansand, Vest Agder, 4604
Center for family and relationship, Modum Bad
Vikersund, Buskerud, 3370
About this study
Official title: The STIC Online Feedback System in Psychotherapy Process-outcome Research: A Multi-site, Multi-modality, International RCT-study.
Feedback in psychotherapy involves clients monitoring therapy process and progress, and on a frequent basis clients register these data into online questionnaires. These data are then fed back to the therapist, hence informing about the process and progress in therapy. This information can be shared with the client, something that may enhance the client involvement in evaluating and planning of the therapy. The same data can be used for research purpose. This randomized controlled multicenter study within Norwegian couple and family contexts will explore the effects of feedback in natural settings, and it collaborates closely with a similar American study in Chicago/Evanston, Ill.
Read the detailed description
The improvement rate in psychotherapy is generally regarded as 50%, while 10% of clients deteriorate after therapy. This indicates a potential for improvement. Research shows that in therapies with the lack of progress, the clients rarely express dissatisfaction about progress to their therapists, and parallel, these therapists consider the therapies to proceed in the right direction. There is therefore a need for more knowledge about (a) how to obtain reliable information about the therapy progress and process monitored frequently during the course of therapy, and (b) that this information is fed back to the therapist and the client so that they (c) jointly can evaluate and adjust the aims and means for improving the therapy, something that may (d) enable them to test more appropriate approaches. This clinical practice should also enhance the client collaboration and empowerment in therapy, hopefully leading to higher recovery rate, shorter treatments, and reduced drop-out. To date, there is limited research on whether and how the use of feedback can contribute to improved outcomes. Such research is especially lacking in couple and family therapy. In a 3-year Norwegian pilot project at the Center for Family and relationships, Modum Bad, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Sørlandet Sykehus, and at Ålesund family counseling office, the online-based feedback system STIC (Systemic Therapy Inventory of Change) has been implemented and tested. The clinical experience is positive, and the system is considered suitable. This project has evolved parallel to a similar project at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., supervised by the founder of the STIC system, professor William M. Pinsof. The project now enters a new phase by conducting a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) at three Norwegian couple- and family therapy sites in collaboration with five American psychotherapy sites to investigate whether the use of ongoing feedback is associated to more effective therapy compared with therapy without use of feedback.
- Conditions
- Psychological Feedback
- Being tested
- STIC feedback system
- Keywords
- Psychotherapy feedback
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
STIC feedback systemOther
This condition includes the use of the STIC feedback system.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| The use of STIC feedback system | Experimental | This will constitute the experimental condition, using of STIC feedback system. Receives: Other: STIC feedback system |
| Treatment as usual | Experimental | This condition will not include the use of the STIC feedback system. Receives: Other: STIC feedback system |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Beck Depression Inventory II
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II - Beck et al., 1995a) is a widely used 21-item self-report questionnaire assessing cognitive, affective, motivational, and physiological symptoms of depression and variation over time. Items are scored on a scale from 0 to 3 and the sum-score expressed the depth of the depression, graded from no clinical depression (0-9), through mild (10-19), moderate (20-29) and severe depression (30-63). The BDI shows adequate psychometric properties (Beck et al., 1995b).
Measured: The BDI was completed at the start and end of treatment. In this study the treatment length varied from two to 22 sessions.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Jun 2013 (estimated)
- Study start1 Jun 2013
- Primary completion15 Oct 2016
- Study completion15 Oct 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Psychological FeedbackStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 328 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Modum Bad
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Stiftelsen Helse og Rehabilitering
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Terje Tilden, PhD, Modum Bad
- Investigators
- KariAnne Vrabel, PhD, Study director, Modum Bad Research Institute
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01873742
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1-Tilden
- Other IDs
- 2012/2/0275
- Acronym
- STICNorway
- Status last verified
- Apr 2020
- First submitted
- 21 Feb 2013
- Last updated
- 4 May 2020
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Publications
Pinsof WM, Zinbarg RE, Lebow JL, Knobloch-Fedders LM, Durbin E, Chambers A, Latta T, Karam E, Goldsmith J, Friedman G. Laying the foundation for progress research in family, couple, and individual therapy: the development and psychometric features of the initial systemic therapy inventory of change. Psychother Res. 2009 Mar;19(2):143-56. doi: 10.1080/10503300802669973.
PubMed 19235092Zahl-Olsen R, Gausel N, Haland AT, Tilden T. "Back to the Future": Testing the "Individual Problems and Strengths" Scale With a Stepwise Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach. J Clin Psychol. 2026 Sep;82(9):1378-1387. doi: 10.1002/jclp.70164. Epub 2026 Jun 5.
PubMed 42244454Tilden T, Johnson SU, Hoffart A, Zahl-Olsen R, Wampold BE, Ulvenes P, Haland AT. Alliance predicting progress in couple therapy. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2021 Sep;58(3):391-400. doi: 10.1037/pst0000355. Epub 2021 Feb 4.
PubMed 33539145
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 May 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The STIC Online Feedback System in Psychotherapy Process-outcome Research: A Multi-site, Multi-modality, International RCT-study.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01873742
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STICNorway / 1-Tilden
- Conditions
- Psychological Feedback
- Keywords
- Psychotherapy feedback
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 328 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Modum BadUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Stiftelsen Helse og Rehabilitering
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2013 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Oct 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Oct 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 10 Jun 2013 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 4 May 2020
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Feedback in psychotherapy involves clients monitoring therapy process and progress, and on a frequent basis clients register these data into online questionnaires. These data are then fed back to the therapist, hence informing about the process and progress in therapy. This information can be shared with the client, something that may enhance the client involvement in evaluating and planning of the therapy. The same data can be used for research purpose. This randomized controlled multicenter study within Norwegian couple and family contexts will explore the effects of feedback in natural settings, and it collaborates closely with a similar American study in Chicago/Evanston, Ill.
Detailed description
The improvement rate in psychotherapy is generally regarded as 50%, while 10% of clients deteriorate after therapy. This indicates a potential for improvement. Research shows that in therapies with the lack of progress, the clients rarely express dissatisfaction about progress to their therapists, and parallel, these therapists consider the therapies to proceed in the right direction. There is therefore a need for more knowledge about (a) how to obtain reliable information about the therapy progress and process monitored frequently during the course of therapy, and (b) that this information is fed back to the therapist and the client so that they (c) jointly can evaluate and adjust the aims and means for improving the therapy, something that may (d) enable them to test more appropriate approaches. This clinical practice should also enhance the client collaboration and empowerment in therapy, hopefully leading to higher recovery rate, shorter treatments, and reduced drop-out. To date, there is limited research on whether and how the use of feedback can contribute to improved outcomes. Such research is especially lacking in couple and family therapy. In a 3-year Norwegian pilot project at the Center for Family and relationships, Modum Bad, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Sørlandet Sykehus, and at Ålesund family counseling office, the online-based feedback system STIC (Systemic Therapy Inventory of Change) has been implemented and tested. The clinical experience is positive, and the system is considered suitable. This project has evolved parallel to a similar project at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., supervised by the founder of the STIC system, professor William M. Pinsof. The project now enters a new phase by conducting a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) at three Norwegian couple- and family therapy sites in collaboration with five American psychotherapy sites to investigate whether the use of ongoing feedback is associated to more effective therapy compared with therapy without use of feedback.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| The use of STIC feedback system | Experimental | Other: STIC feedback systemThis will constitute the experimental condition, using of STIC feedback system. |
| Treatment as usual | Experimental | Other: STIC feedback systemThis condition will not include the use of the STIC feedback system. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- individuals,
- couples,
- families in Norwegian couple- and family therapy contexts
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- psychosis,
- current drug and alcohol abuse,
- violent and threatening behavior,
- not enable to understand Norwegian or English language.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| STIC feedback systemThis condition includes the use of the STIC feedback system. | Other | The use of STIC feedback system, Treatment as usual |
Primary outcome
Beck Depression Inventory II
Time frame: The BDI was completed at the start and end of treatment. In this study the treatment length varied from two to 22 sessions.
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II - Beck et al., 1995a) is a widely used 21-item self-report questionnaire assessing cognitive, affective, motivational, and physiological symptoms of depression and variation over time. Items are scored on a scale from 0 to 3 and the sum-score expressed the depth of the depression, graded from no clinical depression (0-9), through mild (10-19), moderate (20-29) and severe depression (30-63). The BDI shows adequate psychometric properties (Beck et al., 1995b).
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 May 2020.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 19235092Pinsof WM, Zinbarg RE, Lebow JL, Knobloch-Fedders LM, Durbin E, Chambers A, Latta T, Karam E, Goldsmith J, Friedman G. Laying the foundation for progress research in family, couple, and individual therapy: the development and psychometric features of the initial systemic therapy inventory of change. Psychother Res. 2009 Mar;19(2):143-56. doi: 10.1080/10503300802669973.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42244454Zahl-Olsen R, Gausel N, Haland AT, Tilden T. "Back to the Future": Testing the "Individual Problems and Strengths" Scale With a Stepwise Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach. J Clin Psychol. 2026 Sep;82(9):1378-1387. doi: 10.1002/jclp.70164. Epub 2026 Jun 5.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 33539145Tilden T, Johnson SU, Hoffart A, Zahl-Olsen R, Wampold BE, Ulvenes P, Haland AT. Alliance predicting progress in couple therapy. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2021 Sep;58(3):391-400. doi: 10.1037/pst0000355. Epub 2021 Feb 4.
- Presentation of the Psychotherapy Change Project which is the overarching project for the STIC system.Link provided by the sponsor.
- Presentation of the Principle Investigator for the Norwegian STIC projectLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
KariAnne Vrabel, PhD study director
Modum Bad Research Institute
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing STIC feedback system in people with Psychological Feedback, run by Modum Bad at 3 sites in Norway.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 May 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in Norway. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 4 May 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Beck Depression Inventory II (time frame: The BDI was completed at the start and end of treatment. In this study the treatment length varied from two to 22 sessions.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01873742, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 May 2020.