An Investigation of Self-Assessment Bias in Mental Health Providers

Steven Walfish · Brian McAlister · Ed O’Donnell · Michael J. Lambert

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Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications Personality Traits and Psychology Psychological Treatments and Assessments

Abstract

Previous research has consistently found self-assessment bias (an overly positive assessment of personal performance) to be present in a wide variety of work situations. The present investigation extended this area of research with a multi-disciplinary sample of mental health professionals. Respondents were asked to: (a) compare their own overall clinical skills and performance to others in their profession, and (b) indicate the percentage of their clients who improved, remained the same, or deteriorated as a result of treatment with them. Results indicated that 25% of mental health professionals viewed their skill to be at the 90th percentile when compared to their peers, and none viewed themselves as below average. Further, when compared to the published literature, clinicians tended to overestimate their rates of client improvement and underestimate their rates of client deterioration. The implications of this self-assessment bias for improvement of psychotherapy outcomes are discussed.

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References

2004Flawed Self-Assessment 1994Accuracy and bias in self-perception: Individual differences in self-enhancement and the role of narcissism.2002The Psychotherapy Dose-Response Effect and Its Implications for Treatment Delivery Services 2004A lab test and algorithms for identifying clients at risk for treatment failure 2003How chronic self-views influence (and potentially mislead) estimates of performance.

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