Measuring homework completion in behavioral activation.

Busch et al. (2010) built a four-code scale for therapists to score how much homework clients do in behavioral activation.

Therapists watched video of each session and rated homework done, attempted, partial, or none.

The team then checked if two raters gave the same score and if the score matched later depression improvement.

Most codes reached good inter-rater agreement.

Clients with higher homework scores showed bigger drops in depression later.

The scale gives a quick, reliable way to track this key BA ingredient.

Matson et al. (2009) did the same thing for kids’ physical activity at home. Both papers prove you can train raters to see home behavior the same way.

Hastings (1997) and English et al. (1995) also built staff scales and ran reliability checks. M et al. extends this line by linking the new scale to actual treatment success, not just internal stats.

Cox et al. (2015) warn that only one factor of their new interview tool held up. M et al. kept it simple with four clear codes, showing that lean scales can stay solid.

You now have a free, four-item homework code that takes seconds to fill after a session. Start scoring each client every visit and plot the line. If the score stalls, you can add prompts or shorten tasks before depression worsens.