science

Goal attainment scaling

Goal attainment scaling is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Goal attainment scaling rather than just read about it. In short: Goal attainment scaling (GAS) is a therapeutic method that refers to the development of a written follow-up guide between the client and the counselor used for monitoring client progress. GAS was first developed by Thomas Kiresuk and Robert Sherman in response to the wide variety of evaluation models regarding mental illness and treatment.

Key takeaways

Goal attainment scaling belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Goal attainment scaling to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Goal attainment scaling from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Goal attainment scaling (GAS) is a therapeutic method that refers to the development of a written follow-up guide between the client and the counselor used for monitoring client progress. GAS was first developed by Thomas Kiresuk and Robert Sherman in response to the wide variety of evaluation models regarding mental illness and treatment. With the advent of GAS, Kiresuk and Sherman sought to create an evaluation program that could measure effectiveness across several different modalities and justify economic and labor resources based on effectiveness. Evaluation practices are important for justification and support for services, especially in mental health. The existing evaluation procedures had problems in definition and measurement, and each mental health center used its own definitions and measurements to evaluate. This created unspecified and informal evaluations. The variety of evaluation methods also made comparisons impossible. Thus, evaluation reform was needed.

Scale development By focusing on broadly stated goals, intervention and program objectives can be aligned. These goals are then scaled on a basic evaluation design that is common to all areas. Kiresuk and Sherman developed three steps in developing and testing a GAS:

Goal selection and scaling Random assignment of the patient to one of the treatment modalities A follow-up of each patient with regard to the goals and scale values chosen at intake A specific goal is selected on a composed scale that ranges from least to most favorable outcomes. At least two points on the scale should have sufficiently precise and objective descriptions so that anyone could understand the client's status. The points are assigned numerical values (-2 for the least favorable outcome, 0 for the most likely treatment outcome, and +2 for the most favorable treatment outcome). Thus, this scale has a mean value of zero and a standard deviation of one.

Goal development Client's concerns are specified, and a behavioral expectation that ranges from the worst to the best possible outcome is listed for each goal. This allows qualitative data to be quantified in relation to the success of the client in achieving expectations of change. Since counselors and clients often have goals that differ, creating the goals together enhance the counseling process. Further, GAS has been shown to enhance counseling outcomes. GAS has been used for many different populations and concerns including neurologically disabled children, schizophrenia, individual and group counseling, and children with cerebral palsy to name a few.

Use and effectiveness Each scale is specific to the individual, and the defined points are indirectly related to mental health goals. GAS can therefore be individualized, yet universal in its meaningfulness. Communication is enabled through specificity and the well-defined nature of the measure. As an evaluation method, GAS has many uses. GAS can be used to compare treatments or to simply evaluate treatment effectiveness with one client. GAS is used to scale treatment goals, and then their level of attainment are measured. It is a valid individualized treatment outcome and program evaluation measure. Further, GAS is an easy, low cost, evaluation technique. As many treatments will incorporate several goals, GAS can be used to track multiple goals. The goals can be prioritized and differentially weighted to reflect treatment objectives. This goal-oriented measurement tool creates specific operational indicators of progress and can focus case planning and treatment. This often results in better outcomes. GAS results in specific goal attainment indicators, making effectiveness readily apparent. It also promotes positive perceptions of progress towards a goal, which further aids in goal attainment. GAS combines behavioral definitions, mutually defining goals, clear expectations, and continuous evaluation to improve client outcomes and effectively measure change. Example for a weight loss goal:

−2 (most unfavorable outcome): gain 5 pounds in 1 month −1 (less than expected outcome): maintain weight over a 1-month period 0 (expected outcome): lose 5 pounds in 1 month +1 (greater than expected outcome): lose 10 pounds in 1 month +2 (most favorable outcome likely): lose 15 pounds in 1 month

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Goal attainment scaling

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Goal attainment scaling claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Goal attainment scaling before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Goal attainment scaling ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Goal attainment scaling

In research: Goal attainment scaling appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Goal attainment scaling in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Goal attainment scaling is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Intellectual disability, Medical monitoring, Psychotherapy, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Goal attainment scaling outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Goal attainment scaling in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Goal attainment scaling means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Goal attainment scaling out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Goal attainment scaling in simple terms?

Why does Goal attainment scaling matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Goal attainment scaling?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Goal attainment scaling.