Purpose: Goal setting and goal attainment of individual rehabilitations goals gain increasing attention in medical rehabilitation. Aim of this Study was to expand the knowledge about rehabilitation goals of cancer patients.Material and Methods: The Analysis involved a simple of n = 1 193 cancer patients with different tumor sites, who participated in a prospective Study design with three time-points. Patients were asked to fill out a set of questionnaires at the beginning, the end and one year after rehabilitation. This study examines the individual goals and their attainment; further the expectations and the motivation towards the rehabilitation program.Results: Individual rehabilitation goals differ according to the subgroups sex, age, tumor site, psychological distress, type of rehabilitation program and work related variables. Patients evaluate the goal attainment at the end of the program positive. Discrepancies between patients and doctors exist according to the expectations towards the program and the evaluation of the Success of the program.Conclusions: Results Support the demand on a collective goal setting including patients and medical personnel. Further studies should focus on the identifications of specific goal setting types to provide a more individualized rehabilitation program.

OBJECTIVES:A significant body of research suggests that patient motivation is related to better rehabilitation outcome with regard to psychosocial and physical well-being. Thus, patient motivation gains increasing attention with regard to the course of treatment and individual treatment planning in the practice and research in medical rehabilitation. This study aims to validate the PAREMO-20, a measure of rehabilitation motivation in a sample of cancer patients with different tumour sites.METHODS:1193 cancer patients participated in a prospective study evaluating the medical and psychosocial effects of inpatient cancer rehabilitation. A set of various questionnaires was completed at the beginning and at the end of the rehabilitation measure as well as at one year follow-up (participation rate at follow-up: 78%). The PAREMO-20 was psychometrically examined on this sample. Validity was examined using a cancer-specific questionnaire for individual therapy goals, as well as the HADS-D and the SF-8.RESULTS:The original six factors were replicated. The factor solution emerging through PCA was tested with a confirmatory factor analysis. Maximum likelihood estimation of this model produced good fit statistics. Internal consistencies were high to satisfactory with Cronbach's Alpha=0.88 to Alpha=0.59. Psychological distress and physical impairments were positively associated with anxiety and depression, as well as with therapy goal dimensions. Moderate to high (negative) correlations were observed with health related quality of life, in particular with the mental-health dimension (r=-0.74, p=0.01).DISCUSSION:The PAREMO-20 is a reliable, valid and economic instrument, which can be recommended for use in clinical care.