Using point allocation to identify outcomes that matter: results from two cognitive behavioural therapy trials for depression

The authors aimed to identify and prioritize outcome domains that are important to stakeholders—service users with minimal and current symptoms of depression, as well as clinicians—beyond traditional symptom-based measures in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) trials. Through an online survey using a point-allocation method, they found that stakeholders valued depression symptoms alongside quality of life and anxiety symptoms, highlighting the need for trial designs that incorporate these broader outcomes to better reflect stakeholder perspectives.