Major Life Goals Research Articles

Goal-directed learning in adolescence: neurocognitive development and contextual influences.

Adolescence is a time during which we transition to independence, explore new activities and begin pursuit of major life goals. Goal-directed learning, in which we learn to perform actions that enable us to obtain desired outcomes, is central to many of these processes. Currently, our understanding of goal-directed learning in adolescence is itself in a state of transition, with the scientific community grappling with inconsistent results. When we examine metrics of goal-directed learning through the second decade of life, we find that many studies agree there are steady gains in performance in the teenage years, but others report that adolescent goal-directed learning is already adult-like, and some find adolescents can outperform adults. To explain the current variability in results, sophisticated experimental designs are being applied to test learning in different contexts. There is also increasing recognition that individuals of different ages and in different states will draw on different neurocognitive systems to support goal-directed learning. Through adoption of more nuanced approaches, we can be better prepared to recognize and harness adolescent strengths and to decipher the purpose (or goals) of adolescence itself.

“I Would Like to, But My World Wouldn’t End If I Didn’t”: Marital Aspirations Among Sexual Minority Young Adults

Despite the legalization of same-sex marriage across the US, research on young adults’ marital aspirations has tended to overlook sexual identity altogether or focus exclusively on those who are heterosexual. To address this, in this article, I draw upon quantitative and qualitative data from an online survey to describe the marital aspirations and motivations of a convenience sample of sexual minority young adults ( N = 256). Descriptive analyses indicate that although a majority of respondents would like to marry someday, a similar number claim that getting married is not “a major life goal.” Those who want to marry cite several primary reasons, including companionship and lifelong commitment, but also qualify their marital aspirations in several ways, including by questioning both the necessity and normativity of marriage. The relatively small number of respondents do not want to marry express similar concerns and critique marriage as a heteronormative institution.

Young People and the Future: School Students' Concerns and Hopes for the Future after One Year of COVID-19 in Austria-Findings of a Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in enormous changes in everyday life and numerous burdens for adolescents. This pilot study focused on how young people look to the future in the face of these burdens. Responses to two open-ended questions on concerns and hopes for the future that were part of a larger online survey on the mental health of school students in Austria were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Subsequently, differences in the experiences of boys and girls, young people with and without a migration background and psychologically stressed and non-stressed young people were examined by applying a mixed-methods approach. Data collection took place from 3 February to 28 February 2021. From a total survey sample of 3052 adolescents aged 14-20, a representative sample according to gender and migration background (N = 500) was drawn. Qualitative content analysis revealed several areas of concern about the future, including school-related concerns, concerns about the further development of the pandemic and the associated restrictions, concerns related to a lack of locus of control, health-related concerns and concerns about social relationships. The analysis also indicated young people's greatest hopes for the future, such as hopes related to further pandemic development, hopes regarding major life goals, school, social relationships and health. Young people's experiences differ according to gender, migration background and the extent of psychological distress. This study contributes to research on the psychological well-being of adolescents during the pandemic and provides important insights into the subjective experience of young people. It aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the concerns and hopes for the future of young people in a time marked by various challenges. The results of the study should be used to develop ideas for measures, such as the expansion of school psychological services and low-threshold support services for students, such as school social work and counseling.

Identity‐reframing interventions: How to effectively highlight individuals' background‐specific strengths

AbstractMany low‐status groups are portrayed as deficient. Countering such stigmatizing narratives, identity‐reframing interventions reframe low‐status group members as strong and resourceful agents. This approach can help members of low‐status groups successfully pursue major life goals. In one test, an identity‐reframing intervention increased engagement in an online‐university among refugees by 23% over 1 year. In another, it increased the degree to which people with experiences of depression successfully completed a meaningful self‐chosen goal over 2 weeks. The present review describes how identity‐reframing interventions work on a practical and theoretical level, where they might not work, how they contribute to theory and practice, how they can be adapted to new populations and contexts, and what novel questions they direct us to.

P-567 The role of self-criticism in the relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety and depression symptoms in women facing infertility

Abstract Study question Can self-criticism help to explain the relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety and depression symptoms in women facing infertility? Summary answer Women with higher infertility-related stress presented also with higher anxiety and depression symptoms and their self-criticism attitudes help to explain this relationship. What is known already Infertility is a demanding and potentially stress-inducing medical condition, which can trigger anxiety and depression symptoms in women. Feelings of being inadequate, failing to achieve a major life goal, and experiences of shame might develop dysfunctional strategies such as self-criticism attitudes. Self-criticism has been associated with poor mental health outcomes. However, in the field of infertility, the role of self-criticism in the relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety and depression symptoms has never been explored. Study design, size, duration This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 and March 2022. Women (in a heterosexual relationship), having an infertility diagnosis and/or trying to conceive for more than 12 months and aged between 18 and 45 years were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online platform, after the dissemination of the study on social media created specifically for this purpose, through a snowball strategy. Participants/materials, setting, methods The sample was composed of 130 women.Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire including demographic, health data, and measures of infertility-related stress (COMPI), self-criticism (FSCRS), and anxiety and depression symptoms (DASS-21). A mediation model using PROCESS was used to test whether the relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety and depression symptoms is mediated by self-criticism. Psychological support was used as a control variable since preliminary analyses revealed that this variable has a multivariate effect on the outcomes. Main results and the role of chance Women were on average 34 years old and the majority were married. Seventy-three percent had already undergone fertility treatments and the most frequent diagnosis was unexplained infertility and female factor. About 30% were having psychological support. The results obtained through the mediation models showed significant direct effects on the relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety (b = .13, SE = .05, p < .01) and depression symptoms (b = .30, SE = .05, p < .001), indicating that higher levels of infertility-related stress are associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. Significant indirect effects were also identified between infertility-related stress and depression symptoms (SE = .02; IC de 95 % [.0167, .1124]) and between infertility-related stress and anxiety symptoms (SE = .05; IC de 95 % [.0100, .0906]), through self-criticism showing that this relationship can be explained by self-critical attitudes. Limitations, reasons for caution Due to the nature of our sample, the results need to be interpreted with caution. The cross-sectional design does not allow to draw causal directions; further longitudinal studies exploring the role of these variables are needed and exploring the role of possible confounders. Studies including men are needed as well. Wider implications of the findings This work highlighted the role of self-criticism as explaining the relationship between infertility-related stress and anxiety and depression symptoms. Psychological support aiming to promote self-compassion (in contrast with self-criticism) attitudes might help to develop more functional strategies and contribute to better mental health outcomes in women facing infertility. Trial registration number NA

Personality Traits Predict Proximal Goals Among Emerging Adults

Introduction: Individuals often grapple with questions regarding how to accomplish their major life goals. In fact, selecting which goals to pursue is an important developmental task in emerging adulthood 1. Personality traits have been shown to be associated with which major life goals adults pursue 2. Little research, though, has examined whether these associations are present among the proximal goals emerging adults pursue. Methods: The influence of personality traits on goal pursuit of emerging adults was examined, using data from 716 emerging adults (M = 19.32, SD = 1.25) who completed measures regarding proximal goals (e.g., health, socioemotional, spiritual/religious, and cognitive) and the Big Five personality traits. Results: Using SEM, the model fit the data well, χ2 (17, N = 716) = 99.10, p < .001. The overall omnibus model showed that higher neuroticism, openness to experience, and agreeableness contributed to the number of proximal goals emerging adults are currently pursuing. Post hoc analyses showed that different personality traits contributed to the goal domains that emerging adults pursue. Conclusions: Personality may be a factor that enhances or undermines the motivation for the goals that emerging adults pursue 3, 4. Results are discussed in terms of how individual characteristics influence goal pursuit and how such activity might reinforce or further shape personality.

Addressing the complex needs of people with severe mental health disorders in low-resource settings

Schizophrenia is a severe mental health disorder, responsible for 12·2% of disability-adjusted life years caused by mental health and substance use disorders globally,1 it is a cause of individual suffering and of caregiver burden. It is what is commonly understood as mental health disorder in much of the lay population in sub-Saharan Africa2 because it interferes with the attainment of major life goals such as educational attainment, career development, and establishing lifelong supportive relationships, and people with the condition are exposed to human rights abuses and stigma.

Immigration Policy and Belonging: Ramifications for DACA Recipients’ Sense of Belonging

The socioeconomic benefits of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program initiated in 2012 by executive order from then-president Obama have been documented in the recent literature. However, the consequences of the legal challenge brought against the program by the Trump administration have not yet been fully examined. This article analyzes qualitative data from Latino Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in California to assess how the legal turmoil around the program is affecting their sense of belonging in the United States. We find that the uncertainty around the program has negative consequences on their sense of belonging, despite the program’s aims at improving it, and despite the respondents’ living in a rather welcoming state in terms of state-level immigration policies. Notably, we find that respondents feel increasingly alienated from and unwanted in American society and postpone major life goals.

Stability and change in major life goals during the transition to parenthood

The transition to parenthood introduces changes in various life domains. In this paper, we examined whether and to what degree the transition to parenthood is related to changes in the importance of major life goals. To do this, we examined the rank-order stability, ipsative stability, and mean-level change in six life goal domains ( achievement, power, variation, affiliation, altruism, and intimacy) in a sample of 248 parents and 294 individuals in a romantic relationship without children across two time points. Overall, we found high rank-order (variable-oriented) and ipsative (person-oriented) stability, and little evidence for mean-level changes in the importance of life goals across the transition to parenthood. However, we found several selection effects suggesting that women without children tended to endorse agentic life goals ( variation and achievement) more than mothers did. Generally, our findings underline the overall stability of life goals and their role as guiding principles in life.

Stability and Change in Personality Traits and Major Life Goals From College to Midlife.

The association between personality traits and motivational units, such as life goals, has been a long-standing interest of personality scientists. However, little research has investigated the longitudinal associations between traits and life goals beyond young adulthood. In the present study (N = 251), we examined the rank-order stability of, and mean-level changes in, the Big Five and major life goals (Aesthetic, Economic, Family/Relationship, Hedonistic, Political, Religious, Social) from college (age 18) to midlife (age 40), as well as their co-development. Findings showed that personality traits and major life goals were both moderately-to-highly stable over 20 years. On average, there were mean-level increases in the Big Five and mean-level decreases in life goals over time. Patterns of co-development suggest people formulate goals consistent with their personality traits, and conversely, investing in goal-relevant contexts is associated with trait change. We discuss the results in light of Social Investment Theory and the developmental regulation literature.

Skipping breakfast, poor sleep quality, and Internet usage and their relation with unhappiness in Japanese adolescents.

Subjective happiness is often regarded as a major life goal. Although Japan is an economically powerful country, the level of subjective well-being reported among Japanese adolescents is lower than in other countries. We aimed to investigate the lifestyle factors related to unhappiness in Japanese adolescents. We collected data through the 2017–2018 Lifestyle Survey of Adolescents, a nationally representative cross-sectional study enrolled in randomly selected junior and senior high schools throughout Japan. We assessed the prevalence of subjective unhappiness in junior and senior high school students according to school life factors and daily lifestyle habits. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between these factors and unhappiness. A total of 64,329 students were included in the sample (mean age 15.7 years, 53.9% boys). The average prevalence of unhappiness was 10.2%. The logistic regression analyses indicated that unhappiness was strongly associated with being male and with engaging in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as not having breakfast, poor sleep quality, and some problematic Internet usage. Although the prevalence of unhappiness was significantly higher among current smokers and alcohol drinkers, these behaviors were not associated with unhappiness in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Unhappiness among Japanese adolescents appears to be strongly related to how they spend their daily life. We therefore consider it desirable for school officials to educate students on the importance of happiness and lifestyle factors conducive to happiness.

The Roles of Personality Traits and Vocational Interests in Explaining What People Want Out of Life

Life goals reflect people’s aspirations of what they want to become and what kind of life they want to live. In two student samples from the United States (N = 385) and Iceland (N = 1338), we used hierarchical regression and relative weights analyses to first replicate Roberts and Robins (2000) finding that Big Five personality traits predict major life goals, and then to test whether vocational interests have incremental validity in explaining major life goals over and above personality traits. Overall, vocational interests explained larger amounts of variance in major life goals than personality traits, and added incremental validity above and beyond personality traits. Expectations about specific linkages were largely confirmed across the two samples, providing implications for theory and practice.

The relationship between subjective happiness and sleep problems in Japanese adolescents

ObjectivesLow sleep quality in adolescents is an important public health concern, as it relates to both their current and future physical and mental health. Furthermore, subjective happiness is also often regarded as a major life goal. Although Japan is an economically powerful country, the reported levels of subjective happiness among Japanese adolescents is low. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationship between subjective happiness and sleep problems in Japanese adolescents. MethodsWe conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional study of adolescents enrolled in junior and senior high schools in Japan. We used a questionnaire to determine the prevalence of sleep problems (eg, insomnia, short sleep duration (SSD) and poor sleep quality) and to evaluate the participants' reported levels of subjective happiness. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between subjective happiness and sleep problems. Adjusted variables were basic demographic characteristics (eg, gender and school grade), lifestyle behaviors, and mental health status. ResultsData from 64,329 students were analyzed (age range 12–18 years, mean age 15.7 years, 53.9% male). The results indicated that reported levels of subjective happiness were strongly associated with the prevalence of sleep problems. Linear relationships can be observed between sleep problems and subjective happiness scores. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that dose–response association of subjective happiness score was observed with all three sleep problems. ConclusionsDue to these findings, we recommend that policy makers and school officials educate adolescents on the importance of both subjective happiness and good sleep hygiene.

Wartości zawodowe słuchaczy uczelni wojskowej

Work and career are principal activities of man. They determine major life goals and satisfy developmental needs of every working man. The empirical studies show that a career represents a different value in working people’s life and, therefore, people place a different value on professional aspects. The profession of a soldier is commonly perceived as a difficult and dangerous occupation, it requires following orders by troops and paying attention to keep high quality of military service. The aim of this article is to identify the major work values among military academy students who decide to serve the country. This issue was discussed according to social and professional contexts.

Infertility Centrality in the Woman’s Identity and Goal Adjustment Predict Psychological Adjustment Among Women in Ongoing Fertility Treatments

Some of the women that go through repeated fertility treatments will not adjust well to the treatments and will experience increased distress. The present study examined how centrality of the fertility problem in the woman's identity and dispositional goal adjustment (disengagement and reengagement) are associated with the woman's psychological adjustment. These issues are examined in a context of a pro-natal society (Israel) where parenthood is a major life goal. One hundred ninety-three women in ongoing fertility treatments filled out questionnaires, and follow-up on their psychological well-being was carried out after 3months (N = 130). Women who perceived their fertility problem as more central to their identity experienced greater distress (β = 0.34, p < 0.01) and less well-being (β = - 0.31, p < 0.01). Concurrently, high ability for goal disengagement was a resource that protected women from these feelings. Women high on goal disengagement who were low on goal reengagement experienced greater distress (β of interaction = - 0.24, p < 0.01), probably because they remained with feelings of emptiness and lack of purpose. These findings were found in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Finally, the models predicting well-being and distress at T2 using centrality, goal adjustment, and T1 well-being/distress explained 42 and 47.5% of the variance, respectively. Much research and therapeutic attention has been invested in coping with fertility treatments, while the options of reducing investment in treatments and finding alternative goals did not receive adequate attention. This study discusses these issues and their possible clinical implications especially in a pro-natal context.

‘We rise by lifting others’: peer support and professional development for women in academic medicine

Mentors have been defined as ‘influential people who help you reach major life goals’ [1]. Although each mentor–protege relationship is individualised, generally a mentoring relationship is ‘enabli...

Openness and Intellect: An analysis of the motivational constructs underlying two aspects of personality

Openness to Experience has been shown to subsume two aspects called Openness and Intellect. The aim of this study was to examine the discriminant validity of Openness and Intellect in their relationship to Values, Interests, and Major Life Goals. Participants were 893 adults recruited into three studies who completed an online survey consisting of the Big Five Aspect Scales, Schwartz's Values, Holland's Interests, and Major Life Goals. Openness positively predicted Universalism Values in Study 1, and both Artistic Interests and Aesthetic Major Life Goals in all three samples. In contrast, Intellect was not significantly predictive of Values, Interests and Major Life Goals in any of the three studies. The implications of these findings for the discriminant validity of the two aspects are discussed.

THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS AS PREDICTORS OF MAJOR LIFE GOALS

The aim of this research was to investigate relations between major life goals and the Big Five personality traits. A total of 599 participants in the 16-72 age range completed the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and the Life Goal Questionnaire, which was designed for the purposes of this research. The principal component analysis showed the following seven life goal dimensions: Well-Being, Family Relations, Autonomy, Career, Relationships, Friendship, and Education. Psychometric and descriptive characteristics of each component were examined. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated a statistically significant, yet relatively small contribution of personality traits to prediction of major life goals, above and beyond the variance explained by the demographic predictor variables. The results were interpreted in terms of the findings of previous research, as well as considering the role of major life goals as characteristic adaptations within the Big Five model.

La desesperación in Latino migrant day laborers and its role in alcohol and substance-related sexual risk

The purpose of this study was to better understand the relation between psychological distress and alcohol and substance related sexual risk in Latino migrant day laborers (LMDLs). In addition to examining the roles of depression and anxiety, it was also necessary to examine the role of desesperación, a popular Latino idiom of distress frequently expressed by LMDLs in response to the thwarting of major migration related life goals such as traveling to the U.S. in search of work to support families, projects and purchases in country of origin. Given the structural vulnerability of LMDLs to under-employment and frequent unemployment, LMDLs also refer to desesperación as a prelude to problem drinking, substance use, and sexual risk taking. Hence we developed and validated a scale of desesperación for LMDLs to explore this culturally relevant construct of psychological distress in this unique population of Latinos. Based on a cross sectional survey of 344 LMDLs, this study found that the dissatisfaction subscale of desesperación predicted alcohol-related sexual risk taking, while depression predicted substance-related sexual risk taking. These findings are discussed including implications of preventing alcohol and substance related sexual risk taking in LMDLs.

Mechanisms of navigating goals after testicular cancer: meaning and emotion regulation.

The navigation of major life goals can be challenging to cancer survivors, particularly during young adulthood. This study examined the relationships of goal navigation skills (e.g., goal identification, goal clarification, and goal adjustment) with having a sense of life meaning, emotion regulation coping processes, and physical and psychological health indicators in young adult survivors of testicular cancer. Men ages 18 to 29years (N = 171; M age = 25.2, SD = 3.32) with a history of testicular cancer were recruited via the California State Cancer Registry and completed questionnaire measures including assessments of goal navigation, sense of meaning, emotional approach coping, and indicators of physical and psychological well-being. Goal navigation skills were negatively related to depressive symptoms (r = -0.41, p < 0.01) and positively related to physical functioning (r = 0.28, p < 0.01). Controlling for participant age and months since diagnosis, mediation models revealed significant indirect effects of sense of meaning on depressive symptoms (-0.50, p < 0.05) and physical functioning (0.34, p < 0.05). Similarly, emotion-regulating coping had significant indirect effects on depressive symptoms (-0.08, p < 0.05) and physical functioning (0.11, p < 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with a self-regulation framework, goal navigation skill is related to physical and psychological well-being via its association with maintenance of a sense of meaning as well as successful attempts at regulation of emotions. The study provides preliminary evidence that these skill-based processes relate to adjustment to cancer in young adults. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.