The OQ^®-45.2 is brief (45 item), self-report outcome measure that is designed for repeated measurement of client progress through the course of therapy and following termination. It is broadly applicable to adults in behavioral health treatment. It is a single measure that can be used throughout the continuum of care, i.e. inpatient, residential, partial hospital, outpatient and EAP. It is appropriate for any diagnosis as long as the patient is cognitively intact. And, it measures change throughout the course of mental health treatment and at termination.

Self-report methods of psychological assessment are the most frequent means of operationally defining psychological distress and well being for cognitively intact adults. Uhlenhuth (1970) writes: “…it is the patient’s opinion with all its biases that is most relevant for the initiation and maintenance of treatment.”