About this resource
Occupational therapy goals are strongest when they focus on the activities that matter. This planner helps the person explore what they need and want to do in self-care, productivity and leisure, what gets in the way, and which activities to prioritise as participation goals.
Purpose
To identify activities that matter to the person and set goals focused on doing them, rather than on impairments.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Occupational therapists. Also relevant for allied health and multidisciplinary teams.
Client or participant group: Children, young people and adults working with an occupational therapist on everyday participation.
Practice setting: Community, school, rehabilitation and private occupational therapy practice.
Suggested uses
- Initial goal setting in occupational therapy
- Reviewing goals at a new stage of life
- Planning therapy blocks
- Linking therapy to everyday activities
Instructions for practitioners
- Explore activities in each area with the person, using their language.
- Identify barriers across the person, the activity and the environment.
- Prioritise a small number of activities.
- Write participation-focused goals with the person.
Instructions for clients or participants
- List activities you need or want to do.
- Say what gets in the way.
- Choose which activities matter most right now.
Accessibility considerations
Use photos and activity cards for people who find writing or abstract questions hard. Involve family or carers with consent.
Scope and limitations
An informal goal-setting tool. It is not a standardised occupational therapy assessment or outcome measure and does not produce scores.
Research basis
In rehabilitation for adults with acquired disability, setting goals with the person may improve quality of life and self-efficacy, although the evidence is still limited. Specific goals, if-then plans and regular progress monitoring all improve the chances of reaching goals.
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta‐analysis of Effects and Processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(06)38002-1
- Harkin, B., Webb, T. L., Chang, B. P. I., Prestwich, A., Conner, M., Kellar, I., Benn, Y., & Sheeran, P. (2016). Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 142(2), 198–229. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000025
- Levack, W. M., Weatherall, M., Hay-Smith, E. J. C., Dean, S. G., McPherson, K., & Siegert, R. J. (2015). Goal setting and strategies to enhance goal pursuit for adults with acquired disability participating in rehabilitation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Article CD009727. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd009727.pub2
- Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.57.9.705
What is included
A 3-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced. Uses the common self-care, productivity and leisure framing of everyday activity.
