Exploring Goal Attainment Scaling Among Occupational Therapy Students: A Retrospective Descriptive Analysis

Purpose: This study explored the administration of goal attainment scaling (GAS) by entry-level occupational therapy (OT) students, examining their competency following minimal training. While GAS is valuable for measuring progress toward individualized client goals, its implementation requires specific skills and training that may challenge entry-level practitioners. Method: Using retrospective data from a study of sensory garments' effects on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we analyzed GAS administration by five entry-level OT students. Students received both indirect training through their curriculum and 3 h of direct research-specific preparation. Using a modified version of the GAS checklist, we evaluated students' competency through video recordings of GAS administration sessions and written GAS. Results: Analysis revealed variable competency levels among students. While overall performance met 82.4% of checklist criteria, individual student competency varied considerably (54.5%-95.4%). Three of five students achieved the established 75% competency threshold. Students consistently met criteria for conceptual goal construction and timeframe specification but struggled with maintaining single dimensions of change and specifying observable behaviors. Conclusions: Entry-level OT students demonstrated varying levels of competency in GAS administration following minimal training. Our findings suggest the need for more comprehensive training in specific aspects of GAS, particularly in scale construction and behavioral specification. These results have important implications for how OT programs prepare students to implement GAS in clinical practice.