Multimethod Assessment in Psychology Training Clinics: Investigating the Clinical Utility of a Three-Session Therapeutic Model of Assessment

Psychological assessment remains a core competency in clinical psychology, yet its role in graduate training has become marginalized, with programs prioritizing brief test administration and rapid initiation of therapy over a comprehensive, integrative assessment designed to inform treatment planning. Despite calls to reestablish assessment as a cornerstone of clinical competence, few studies have examined the feasibility and clinical utility of structured, multimethod assessment models in university training clinics. This study evaluated a simplified, feasibility-oriented adaptation of Therapeutic Assessment—the Therapeutic Model of Assessment (TMA)—implemented in a university psychology clinic. A total of 194 adult patients (M = 29.5 years, 63% female) treated under the TMA model were compared with 52 patients (M = 27.8 years, 65% female) seen before its implementation. Patients in the TMA group showed significant reductions in depressive, anxious, and overall distress symptoms from the initial assessment to the feedback session. Dropout rates decreased from 37% to 16.5%, reflecting improved engagement and treatment retention. Among patients with personality pathology, dropout risk was significantly lower when TMA was implemented. Findings support the clinical utility of brief, multimethod assessment in training-clinic settings and its potential to enhance patient outcomes while reinforcing the relevance of assessment within psychology training.