Where Do We Go From Here? The Goal Perspective in Psychotherapy.

Abstract

During the last three decades personal goals have become an increasingly important research topic. Basic research has documented the relevance of personal goals for well-being and motivation. Furthermore, clinical research has shown that goal characteristics are associated with patients’ symptom distress as well as their motivation to become actively engaged in the therapeutic process. In the present article we review central models and findings from basic as well as clinical research. We will examine patients’ general personal goals (life goals) with regard to psychopathology as well as treatment motivation. Our discussion of explicit treatment goals will cover their function in therapy, the target-selection process, and the treatment-goal content. Finally, we will describe treatment approaches that focus on clients’ goals and discuss therapeutic implications of goal theory and research.