Patient-Centered Goal Planning: A Systemic Psychological Therapy?

This article suggests that using patient-centered goal planning, such as described in other articles in this issue, may be directly beneficial to the patients in terms of reducing anxiety and distress. One theory or model of affective disorder is reviewed, and it is noted that this theory predicts that focusing on patient goals would reduce anxiety. Observational data collected routinely from 82 patients at Rivermead are then analyzed, and it is shown that an initially high level of anxiety reduces coincident with goal planning and without any other specific intervention.