Goal Setting in Rehabilitation

Abstract

Goal setting, or goal planning, is a core component of most rehabilitation services, including neuropsychological rehabilitation programmes. A recent survey of 437 community-based stroke rehabilitation services in the UK found that 91 per cent of services reported using goal setting with most or all of their clients (Scobbie et al., 2015) and others have found similar high levels of use of goal setting in neurorehabilitation services (Holliday et al., 2005; Pagan et al., 2015). Goal setting, as used in rehabilitation services, can be broadly and simply defined as a process by which the goals to be achieved during a rehabilitation programme are established. However, it is clear from many reviews, surveys and commentaries that the actual process by which goals are set, how they are used during a rehabilitation programme, and how progress towards goal achievement is monitored varies widely among services (Playford et al., 2009; Scobbie et al., 2015; Wade, 2009). This chapter will begin with a brief review of why goal setting is important in neuropsychological rehabilitation. It goes on to outline the core components of goal setting and how they are implemented. Several common issues that present challenges for rehabilitation teams are highlighted, with potential solutions offered.