Brief Problems Monitor FAQs

How should the Brief Problem Monitor (BPM) be used?
The BPM is designed to monitor children's responses to interventions (RTIs) over periods of days, weeks, or months. It is also designed to monitor children's functioning during the course of services in special education, outpatient, inpatient, residential, and other contexts. The BPM is not designed for the comprehensive assessment needed to determine whether a child needs help, for what problems, or the kind of help needed. Instead, more comprehensive instruments such as the CBCL/6-18, TRF, and/or YSR should be used in conjunction with other assessment methods such as interviews, tests, medical evaluations, and developmental histories to identify children's needs and to design interventions.
Can the BPM be used to evaluate outcomes of services?
Although the BPM is designed to monitor children's responses to interventions (RTIs) and their functioning during the course of services, the ultimate outcomes of interventions and services should be evaluated by comparing outcome scores on more comprehensive instruments with initial scores on the same instruments, such as the CBCL/6-18, TRF, and YSR. Comprehensive outcome assessments are needed to detect improvements, failures to improve, and worsening in more aspects of functioning than can be assessed with any brief instruments.