Establishment and formulation of functional goals: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: Setting goals in agreement with the person is essential for the success of rehabilitation interventions, as these goals guide the process toward an outcome. Therefore, both the identification of needs and the formulation of the goal must meet certain criteria that make them measurable and allow for tangible results for the person. Objective: This review aims to compile strategies or guidelines developed to appropriately formulate functional goals in the rehabilitation of adults and older adults. Method: The methodology used follows the guidelines for conducting a scoping review. The search includes studies published between 2014 and the present, using the keywords "functional goals" and "rehabilitation", combined with the connector AND. The databases consulted were PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: A total of nine articles were analyzed, two of which specifically aimed to study intervention goals. All nine studies included examples of goals selected by users of rehabilitation services, and five tools for selecting and establishing these goals were identified. Conclusion: The results suggest that the use of the term "functional goal" is already common in the field of rehabilitation; however, this review does not confirm a consensus on the strategies to be used for identifying each person's goals.