title: Adaptive self-regulation of unattainable goals: goal disengagement, goal reengagement, and subjective well-being.
abstract: Three studies examined associations between goal disengagement, goal reengagement, and subjective well-being. In Study 1, 115 undergraduates reported on the extent to which they were able to abandon unattainable goals and reengage their efforts in alternative goals. Study 2 examined the importance of goal disengagement and goal reengagement in groups of young adults and older adults (N = 120). In Study 3, a sample of parents of children with cancer and parents of medically healthy children was examined (N = 45). The findings confirmed that goal disengagement and goal reengagement can be associated with ratings of high subjective well-being. In addition, the results showed that goal disengagement and goal reengagement can have interactive effects on subjective well-being. The importance of the findings for effective self-regulation and successful development are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada. wrosch@vax2.concordia.ca
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wrosch
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Scheier
authors.forename: Gregory E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Carver
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001240:Aspirations, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010553:Personality Development; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires