title: The tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment scales: a validation study.
abstract: The flexible goal adjustment (FLEX) and tenacious goal pursuit (TEN) scales are used regularly in aging research. The current study examined their validity in a sample of 517 women (30-75 years) in multiple ways. Overall, the findings show that the scales do not clearly distinguish between FLEX and TEN. The direction in which the items were formulated was just as important as what was being measured. Moreover, face validity of the inversely phrased items in particular appeared to be weak. On the basis of these findings, the authors recommend a revision of the concept definitions as well as of the items.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Henselmans
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen.
authors.forename: Joke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleer
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Sonderen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen.
authors.forename: Ans
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smink
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen.
authors.forename: Robbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanderman
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Section Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen.
authors.forename: Adelita V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ranchor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results