New Perspectives on Practice: A Guide to Measuring Self-Regulation and Goal-Related Outcomes in Employment Programs

This document provides guidance on how human services programs can measure self-regulation and goal achievement and what is important to consider when selecting measures and deciding when and with whom they should be used. Such measures have the potential to inform ongoing program improvements and provide information and evidence about goal-related programming. The brief begins with a summary of the role of goals in facilitating self-sufficiency, followed by a discussion of why it may be important for programs to measure self-regulation and goal-related behaviors, mindsets, and outcomes. It then offers guidance on what behaviors, mindsets, and outcomes to measure and how and when to measure them, focusing on measures that are both useful and feasibly implemented in real-world program contexts. The brief concludes with insights on preparing for measurement and provide some additional resources that might help programs in their goal-related measurement efforts.