A Goal-Centered, Self-Regulatory Model of Motivation and Its Relevance for Advancing the Study of Chronic Pain

This chapter presents an account of goal constructs and of self-regulatory processes as critical mediators and/or moderators of chronic pain’s effects on diverse aspects of human performance and adjustment. The joint influence of goal cognition and the assorted mechanisms of self-regulation provides a unique platform for adaptive failure or vulnerability when operating at low levels of effectiveness and efficiency, and for adaptive resilience when functioning at its peak. Organized around a motivational model dubbed the Goal-Centered, Self-Regulatory, Automated, Social Systems Psychology (GRASSP) perspective, the chapter considers the nature, functioning, and measurement of goals and a variety of potentially supportive regulatory mechanisms. Illustrating the explanatory and heuristic potency of a motivational framework, the chapter addresses both the deleterious effects of persistent pain on goal-related thinking and striving and the facilitative role of effective goal-based self-regulation in maintaining day-to-day performance and well-being in the face of chronic pain.

Beyond rationality: Counterfactual thinking and behavior regulation

Counterfactual thinking may be described as disciplined, realistic, and rational, but we move a step further to describe a theoretical perspective centering on behavior regulation. According to this perspective, counterfactual thinking primarily centers on coordination of ongoing behavior. In short, most “if only” thoughts in daily life center on the acquisition of goals; hence, counterfactual thinking may be illuminated by considering the large literature on goal cognition.

Goal Cognition and Its Clinical Implications

Reports on the development and validation of the Goal Systems Assessment Battery (GSAB), a set of four questionnaires designed to gauge individual differences in personal goal construal as viewed within Ford's control theory model of conscious self-regulation. The Directive Function Questionnaire addresses attributions concerning goal-relevant self-efficacy and value. Self-monitoring of goal activity and social comparison evaluations are assessed via the Regulatory Function Questionnaire. The Control Function Questionnaire taps planning, self-reward, and self-criticism. The Arousal Function Questionnaire evaluates positive and negative arousal during goal pursuit. The GSAB was administered to college students ( N = 723) and a national sample of adults ( N = 246) to establish (a) its conceptual structure, (b) the factorial invariance of the instruments across distinct goal types, (c) temporal stability, (d) minimal susceptibility to social desirability bias, and (e) the relation of the GSAB to indexes of personal adjustment. Results of five studies support the psychometric and preliminary clinical utility of the instruments.