title: Distinguishing autonomous and directive forms of goal support: their effects on goal progress, relationship quality, and subjective well-being.
abstract: Three studies examined the relations of autonomy support and directive support to goal progress over 3 months. Autonomy support was defined in terms of empathic perspective-taking, whereas directive support was defined in terms of the provision of positive guidance. Results from Study 1 revealed that autonomy support between romantic partners was significantly positively related to goal progress over 3 months, and that the beneficial effect of autonomy support was mediated by enhanced autonomous goal motivation. Study 2 involved female friend dyads and extended the goal progress results to include both self-reports and reports by peers. Study 3 showed that autonomy support similarly promoted progress at vicarious goals. Across three studies, autonomy support was also significantly associated with improved relationship quality and subjective well-being. Directive support was marginally associated with better goal progress across the three studies and unrelated to relationship quality or well-being.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. richard.koestner@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koestner
authors.forename: Theodore A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Noémie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carbonneau
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milyavskaya
authors.forename: Sook Ning
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chua
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult