Goal Attainment Scaling; a method for evaluating psychotherapies
Goal Attainment Scaling is a method, where every client, every problem and every variable aspect of those problems are evaluated as different from other clients, other problems and other variable aspects: it is an individualized evaluating method. In this article a short description is given of the Goal Attainment Scaling method. It is treated as related to modern trends in psychotherapeutic theories and research. Some aspects of the method as developped by Kiresuk and Sherman, and as described, criticized and alternatively changed by Anderson, Dutszka and Ward and by Van der Hart and Lange and Bensing and Dekker, are criticized: the definition of the zero-level, the statistical assumptions made by Kiresuk en Sherman, the use of T-scores, the description of the scale points, the possibility to differentiate between gradual changes when Goal Attainment Scales are used, and the change for biaces induced by the judge(s); alternatives are proposed for the criticized aspects. Also a description is given of problems, that one can meet in constructing and using Goal Attainment Scales, and some solutions are formulated. The last paragraph is dedicated to the qualities and the benefits of the Goal Attainment Scaling method as compared to other methods.