This document discusses developing goals and formulating contracts in counseling. It covers selecting goals with clients, defining goals explicitly and measurably, ensuring goals are feasible, ranking goals by priority, evaluating progress both quantitatively and qualitatively, and developing contracts that specify goals, roles, interventions, timeframes and means of monitoring progress. The overall purpose is to outline factors to consider when setting counseling goals and formulating agreements with clients.

1. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
Chapter 12
Developing Goals and
Formulating a Contract

2. • The purpose and function of goals
• Linking goals to target concerns
• Factors influencing goal development
• Client participation
• Values and beliefs
• Values inherent in goal setting
• Family involvement
• Involuntary status
• Environmental conditions
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.

3. • Goals must relate to the desired results sought by voluntary clients
• Strategies for selecting and defining goals for involuntary clients
• Bargaining
• Getting rid of the mandate / outside pressure
• Goals should be defined in explicit and measurable terms
• Partializing goals
• Goals and general tasks (next 2 slides)
• Goals must be feasible
• Goals should be commensurate with the knowledge and skill of the
practitioner
• Goals should be stated in positive terms that emphasize growth (p.324)
• Avoid agreeing to goals about which you have major reservations
• Goals must be consistent within the functions of the agency
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.

4. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
GOALS GENERAL TASKS
1. Gain increased control over emotions.
2. Improve social relations.
3. Enhance interactions with social
environment.
4. Enhance self-confidence.
5. Improve parenting skills.
6. Increase social participation in a group
context.
1. Reduce frequency of anger outbursts by being aware of cues that
elicit anger. Increase use of internal dialogue to decrease anger.
2. Approach others and initiate and maintain conversation by
employing listening skills and furthering responses.
3. Explore living arrangements in a center for elderly persons that
provides outside activities.
4. Focus on strengths and positive attributes, qualities; express self-
approval.
5. Demonstrate competence in planning and preparing nutritious
meals, and maintaining adequate sanitary and hygienic conditions.
6. Resolve fears about fitting in, initiate discussion of personal
views, ask questions, participate in group discussions.

5. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
GOALS GENERAL TASKS
7. Improve marital communication.
8. Resolve conflict when interacting
with peers.
9. Express anger in a constructive
manner.
10. Complete job training skills
assessment.
7. Listen without interrupting and check out meaning and
increase frequency of positive messages.
8. Learn methods of problem-solving skills that contribute to
conflict resolution.
9. Practice alternative productive ways of expressing anger.
10. Contact vocational-technical program.

6. • Determine clients’ readiness for goal negotiation.
• Explain the purpose and function of goals.
• Negotiating goals with involuntary clients.
• Jointly select appropriate goals.
• Define goals explicitly and specify level of change.
• Determine the feasibility of goals and discuss their potential benefits
and risks.
• Assist clients to make a choice about committing themselves to specific
goals.
• Rank goals according to clients’ priorities.
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.

7. • Methods of evaluation and measuring progress
• Involving clients in monitoring progress
• Evaluation resources
• Cautions and strengths
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.

8. • Quantitative measurement
• Measuring overt behavior
• Retrospective estimates of baseline behavior
• Measuring covert behaviors
• Guidelines to obtaining baseline measures
• Measuring with self-administered scales
• Receptivity of clients to measurement
• Monitoring progress with quantitative measurements
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.

9. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Least anxious
(calm, relaxed,
serene)
Moderately
anxious (tense,
uptight but still
functioning
with effort)
Most anxious
(muscles taut, can’t
concentrate or sit
still; could climb
the wall)

10. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Degreeofanxiety
LeastModeratelyMost
Time intervals (days)
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36

11. • Qualitative measures
• Logical analysis effects
• Informative events or critical incidences
• Monitoring progress with qualitative measurements
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.

12. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
Tenuous resource/relationship
Strong resource/relationship
Conflicted resource/relationship
Stressful relationship
The Strong Family
(Preintervention)
Church
Schools
Extended
family
Public
Transportation
Community
Groups
Neighborhood
Credit Card
Debt
Friends

13. Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.
Tenuous resource/relationship
Strong resource/relationship
Conflicted resource/relationship
Stressful relationship
The Strong Family
(Postintervention)
Church
Schools
Extended
family
Public
Transportation
Community
Groups
Neighborhood
Credit Card
Debt
Friends

14. • Developing contracts
• Goals to be accomplished
• Roles of participants
• Interventions or techniques to be employed
• Time frame and frequency and length of sessions
• Means of monitoring progress
• Stipulating for renegotiating the contract
• Housekeeping items
• The rationale for contracts
• Types of contracts
Copyright (c) 2009 Brooks/Cole, a division of
Thomson Learning, Inc.