NCJ Number
57910
Journal
Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 45-48
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EVALUATES USING GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALING AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR DETERMINING OUTCOME IN THERAPY AND AS AN AID IN DECIDING WHETHER A HOME ENVIRONMENT IS SAFE. ABUSING PARENTS WERE STUDIED.
Abstract
THE ARTICLE ANALYZES THE OUTCOME OF GROUP THERAPY WITH 30 COUPLES WHO UNDERWENT TREATMENT FROM 1973-1977 UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. THE CLIENTS IN THE STUDY WERE MARRIED COUPLES RESPONSIBLE FOR A CHILD IDENTIFIED BY CHILD WELFARE AUTHORITIES AS HAVING BEEN PHYSICALLY ABUSED. SINCE SPOUSES ARE BASICALLY ALIKE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO WORK WITH BOTH REGARDLESS OF WHICH WAS THE ACTUAL ABUSER. THEY COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDS AND INCOMES. THE MAJORITY WERE MIDDLE CLASS, AND LOWER MIDDLE CLASS. ALL WERE REFERRED BY CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES. IN 75 PERCENT OF THE CASES, THE CHILD HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE HOME BY COURT ORDER. THE COUPLES WERE TOLD THAT THEIR CHANCES FOR GETTING THEIR CHILD BACK WOULD BE GREATLY INCREASED IF THEY UNDERWENT THERAPY. A MAXIMUM OF 5 COUPLES MADE UP THE GROUP AT ANY ONE TIME. EACH COUPLE USUALLY DISCUSSED THEIR PROBLEMS AND MADE A CONTRACT FOR SPECIFIC BEHAVIORAL CHANGES. VARIOUS THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES WERE EMPLOYED. THE GOAL ATTAINMENT SCALE (GAS) WAS USED TO TO MEASURE OUTCOME AND GIVE CLIENTS SPECIFIC GOALS TO ACHIEVE WHILE IN THERAPY. TYPICAL PROBLEMS WORKED ON USING THE SCALE INCLUDED SYMBIOSIS, ISOLATION, COMMUNICATION, WITH MATE TENSION AND ANGER, CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT, AND EMPLOYMENT. SYMBIOSIS AND ISOLATION WERE CONSIDERED CENTRAL PROBLEMS AND GIVEN MORE WEIGHT IN THE SCALE. THERE WERE FIVE OUTCOME VALUES OF 'LEVELS OF PREDICTED ATTAINMENTS' FOR EACH PROBLEM AREA. TO SUCCESSFULLY TERMINATE FROM THE GROUP, COUPLES HAD TO ACHIEVE AN EXPECTED LEVEL OF OUTCOME IN EACH AREA. THE GAS TECHNIQUE WAS FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN EVALUATING WHEN PARENTS HAD CHANGED ENOUGH SO THAT THE ABUSED CHILD COULD RETURN HOME SAFELY. OF THE 30 COUPLES IN THE GROUP FROM 1977-1978, 22 COMPLETED THERAPY AND ALSO COMMITTED NO FURTHER ABUSE. FOUR OF THE 30 DROPPED OUT AND LOST PERMANENT CUSTUDY OF THEIR CHILDREN, AND 4 COUPLES WERE STILL IN THERAPY AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (MJW)