The Effect of Goal Setting on Marijuana Treatment Outcomes: the Role of Self-Efficacy

Adult marijuana users seeking treatment (N = 291) were randomly assigned to 3 treatment conditions: 1) a cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention support group (RPSG), 2) individualized assessment and advice group, and 3) delayed treatment control group. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of self-efficacy in goal setting and treatment outcomes based on self-stated goals (abstinence or moderation) for marijuana use. Measures of marijuana use, treatment goal, and self-efficacy for achieving one's goal were used. Goal choice was shown to influence treatment outcome such that, participants were more likely to achieve outcomes consistent with their treatment goal. The findings suggest that self-efficacy for goal achievement is more strongly related to outcomes for those with abstinence treatment goals, but appears to exert some effect across both goal types.