Step 2A. Expectations about the RTW Outcome

Step 2 Questions: Step 2A RTW Expectations (Step 2A) and Step 2B. Concerns about RTW are subject to change with context

The dictionary definition: "A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future" , and the Psychology Today definition: "Beliefs, anticipations, or standards regarding future events, actions, or outcomes, often based on past experience, social norms, and desires".

Jason used the analogy of a crystal ball or fortune teller to illustrate the concept: the question is essentially asking the worker to predict their future in relation to work. He outlined the types of expectations relevant to return to work:

• Realistic expectations - based on probability of return to work
• Unrealistic expectations - such as hoping to be completely pain-free before returning
• Unrealistically negative expectations - catastrophic thinking about the future
• Unmet expectations - when what the worker expected (e.g., a safe workplace, employer support) did not happen, leading to perceived injustice

Jason explained why the question is asked broadly first: it allows the worker to respond in whatever way they interpret it, which can reveal beliefs, anticipations, and standards that a narrow question would miss. If the worker does not understand the broad question, the case worker should then narrow it to a simple yes/no:

• "Do you see yourself going back as a house cleaner?"
• "Do you see yourself re-entering the workforce?"

Jason also clarified the difference between wanting and expecting: wanting belongs in Step 1, while expecting is a prediction of a future state. He noted that conditional expectations (e.g., "I'll return to work when I'm pain-free") are important to identify because they reveal what the worker believes must happen first.

Jason used a relatable personal example involving Katie's nieces and nephews at a restaurant to illustrate how expectations are formed based on past experience, beliefs, and anticipations, and how an expectation violation occurs when reality does not match the prediction.

Key Insight: The case worker should walk away from Step 2A with a clear sense of whether the worker sees a future that includes work. Anything less than a clear "yes" to returning to the workforce is a flag that requires follow-up because this remains an open gap that needs to be addressed in a subsequent interaction.