Evaluation of the effectiveness of Psychotherapy in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate, through a randomized clinical trial, the use of outcome monitoring and feedback system routines in psychotherapy processes conducted in a university psychology clinic (UPC) with people who presented emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Participants (N=90) were divided into two groups: Experimental and Control. For patients in the Experimental Group, routine outcome monitoring (ROM) and feedback system (FS) were used, in which psychotherapists incorporated into their clinical practice a dialogue with patients about their answers to questionnaires. Results: After 6 months of intervention, we identified that there were significant changes between the first and the last application of the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ®-45.2) in the psychotherapeutic process (F(3, 85) = 4,267, p < 0.01). However, there are no differences between the Experimental Group and the Control Group (F(3, 85) = 0.417, p = 0.741). Conclusion: Although no significant differences were found, it is possible to conclude that psychotherapy was effective for both groups. The use of ROM and FS in a Brazilian UPC proved to be a challenge, but at the same time, it is a way to develop a culture of research that can help beginning psychotherapists to improve results.