Assessing the Goodness-of-Fit between Persons and Their Environments

This article outlines the assessment and quantification procedures involved in determining the goodness-of-fit (congruence) between persons and their environments. A three-step procedure is outlined that includes (a) assessing a person's behavioral capabilities on a series of either community living or vocational skills, (b) determining the performance requirements within the person's respective living or work environments, and (c) computing a Goodness-of-Fit Index (GOFI) that quantifies the congruence. Concurrent validity and correlational data are presented that summarize the relationship among criterion groups, GOFIs, and a number of outcome measures. This article concludes with a discussion of potential uses of the GOFI procedure for completing discrepancy analyses, person- and setting-intervention strategies, and formulating program development and evaluation strategies.