title: Psychometric properties of goal-attainment scaling in the assessment of mann's time-limited psychotherapy.
abstract: This study tested the reliability and validity of Goal-Attainment Scaling (GAS) in assessing outcome in Mann's Time-Limited Psychotherapy (TLP). Judges constructed GAS scales for 33 patients on five dimensions: severity of symptoms, self-esteem, same-sex friendships, romantic relationships, and work performance. Patients in the treatment group received 12 sessions of TLP, whereas controls were in a waiting list for the same period of time (12 weeks) before starting time-limited psychotherapy. Judges rated all patients on GAS before beginning therapy, at termination, and follow-up. Mean interrater reliability of scores between pairs of judges was r = .88. Convergent validity of the GAS was confirmed by moderate to high correlations with the Health-Sickness Rating Scale (r = .70, p < .001), the Target Complaints Scale (r = .50, p <.01), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (r = .38, p < .05). The findings are discussed and recommendations are made for the reliable and valid use of the GAS in psychotherapy outcome research.
authors.affiliation: Herzog-Ezrat Nashim Mental Health Center and Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905. msshef@mscc.huji.ac.il
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shefler
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canetti
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wiseman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors