An evaluation of the planning program using goal attainment scaling

Abstract

Therapists providing individualised programs in rehabilitation are increasingly challenged to document and present the outcomes and effectiveness of their services. For program evaluation to be feasible, a methodology is required that is compatible with the characteristics, demands and priorities of clients as well as therapy environments. Goal attainment scaling is a method to evaluate services based on the attainment of individual client or program goals. This method was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a home based, individualised, cognitive rehabilitation intervention for an eight year old boy, long term after traumatic brain injury. The child and family participated in the Planning Program, designed to teach compensatory strategies for planning and to support these with minor environmental modifications. Background information and an analysis of the theory and model behind the Planning Program are presented. The evaluation results revealed an overall goal attainment scale score (T score) of 68.70, indicating that the overall program goal had been accomplished, at above the expected level. The implications, advantages and disadvantages of goal attainment scaling as a method to evaluate individualised programs in paediatric brain injury rehabilitation are discussed.