Monitoring Therapist Fidelity to the Good Lives Model (GLM)

Abstract

Since the Good Lives Model's (GLM) inception, researchers and practitioners have faced questions about its implementation. Programs claiming to use the GLM vary substantially in the extent to which the GLM informs treatment, and no tools exist to monitor therapist fidelity to the GLM. The aim of the current paper is to offer a concrete tool to monitor therapist fidelity to the GLM. The GLM Fidelity Monitoring Tool offers the beginnings of a method for how therapists and supervisors can address the central question of "How well are we implementing the Good Lives Model?" The tool consists of three sections: (i) Fundamental Considerations and Processes, which focus on therapeutic process variables consistent with the GLM but not specific to the GLM, and are rated numerically for fidelity, (ii) GLM-Specific Considerations and Processes, also rated numerically for fidelity, and (iii) Client-Focused GLM Considerations, which are a set of questions exploring the therapist's progress developing a GLM grounded case formulation and therapy plan for individual clients. The tool is designed to help guide supervision discussions and promote therapist fidelity to the GLM. Future research implications are discussed.