Relationship Between Personality Measures and Perceived Mental Fatigability

Objective Examine the association between personality measures and perceived mental fatigability. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis in N=1670 men, age 84.3±4.1 years. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the covariate adjusted association between personality measures (conscientiousness, optimism, goal reengagement, and goal disengagement) and perceived mental fatigability (measured with the validated 10-item Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale, PFS). Results One standard deviation lower conscientiousness (β=−0.91, p<.0001) and optimism (β=−0.63, p<.0001), and higher goal reengagement (β=0.51, p=.01) scores were independently associated with higher PFS Mental scores adjusted for age, cognitive function, self-reported health status, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance, physical activity, and goal disengagement. Discussion Lower conscientiousness, optimism, and higher goal reengagement were linked with more severe perceived mental fatigability in older men. Personality traits may potentially contribute to early risk assessment for fatigability in later life. Future work should be longitudinal in nature and include personality assessments to confirm the temporality of the relationships observed.

Goal adjustment capacities in uncontrollable life circumstances: Benefits for psychological well-being during COVID-19

Goal adjustment capacities (i.e., goal disengagement and goal reengagement) are core self-regulatory resources theorized to buffer psychological well-being during intractable life circumstances. However, research has yet to examine whether these capacities protect well-being for individuals who encounter uncontrollable losses in their ability to pursue important life goals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a nationally-representative sample of American adults aged 18-80 (n = 292), the present longitudinal study examined the influence of goal disengagement and reengagement on levels and change in psychological well-being for individuals who differed in perceived control over their goals early in the pandemic. Results from multilevel growth models showed that goal reengagement, but not goal disengagement, capacities predicted higher levels of well-being (lower perceived stress, depressive symptoms; higher life satisfaction, meaning in life) for individuals who reported pandemic-induced declines in control over their goals. Findings inform theories of motivation and self-regulation and point to the adaptive value of goal reengagement capacities during uncontrollable life circumstances.

Goal Adjustment Capacities in Uncontrollable Life Circumstances: Benefits for Psychological Well-Being During COVID-19

Goal adjustment capacities (i.e., goal disengagement and goal reengagement) are core self-regulatory resources theorized to buffer psychological well-being during intractable life circumstances. However, research has yet to examine whether these capacities protect well-being for individuals who encounter uncontrollable losses in their ability to pursue important life goals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a nationally-representative sample of American adults aged 18-80 (n = 292), the present longitudinal study examined the influence of goal disengagement and reengagement on levels and change in psychological well-being for individuals who differed in perceived control over their goals early in the pandemic. Results from multilevel growth models showed that goal reengagement, but not goal disengagement, capacities predicted higher levels of well-being (lower perceived stress, depressive symptoms; higher life satisfaction, meaning in life) for individuals who reported pandemic-induced declines in control over their goals. Findings inform theories of motivation and self-regulation and point to the adaptive value of goal reengagement capacities during uncontrollable life circumstances.

Getting Trapped in a Dead End? Trait Self-Control and Boredom Are Linked to Goal Adjustment

Disengaging from unattainable goals and reengaging in alternative goals is essential for effective goal pursuit; yet, surprisingly little is known about associated personality factors. Here, we focused on individual differences in self-control (domain-general self-control, if-then planning) and boredom (boredom proneness, boredom avoidance and escape tendencies). Concerning goal adjustment in everyday life (Study 1; N = 323 crowdworkers), if-then planning was associated with worse disengagement and better reengagement. While boredom proneness was associated with poorer reengagement, boredom avoidance and escape tendencies were associated with better reengagement. When goal striving was thwarted during the COVID-19 pandemic (Study 2; N = 97 students), similar associations emerged along with links to anxiety and depression. However, disengagement was no longer associated with if-then planning but instead with better self-control and higher boredom proneness. These results show differential relationships of goal disengagement and reengagement with self-control and boredom, paving the way to a better understanding of who struggles or shines when effective goal adjustment is required.

Parenting and Adolescents’ Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Goal Engagement and Disengagement

Prior research has investigated parental behavior and students’ motivation separately as predictors of adolescents’ academic achievement. The current study jointly examined the associations between parental behavior, adolescents’ motivation, and academic achievement. Using data collected from participants in youth programs (N = 220), we investigated whether students’ academic goal engagement and disengagement mediates the association between adolescents’ relationships with their parents and their academic achievement. Findings from regression-based mediation models indicated that adolescents’ perceived maternal support was positively associated with their academic achievement, and that this association was mediated by students’ engagement with academic goals. Perceived maternal psychological control was negatively associated with students’ academic success, mediated by students’ academic goal disengagement. Supplementary analyses examining components of perceived parental support and psychological control showed that maternal warmth may be most beneficial for adolescents’ academic success, whereas maternal devaluation may be most detrimental. Perceived paternal psychological control was only associated with lower academic achievement, but was not related to adolescents’ goal disengagement.

The Role of Time Perspective in the General Tendency to Disengage and Reengage from Problematic Goal Striving

Both time and goals are ubiquitous in our everyday lives. The main aim of the present set of studies was to corroborate if time perspective, as conceptualized by Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, is related to goal disengagement and reengagement during problematic goal striving. Over three studies, with more than 600 participants varying in age and cultural background, it was found that future time perspective is related to goal disengagement from a problematic goal striving. A pilot study with 103 university students showed that the future positive scale was negatively related to the general capacity to disengage. In a second study with 356 high-school students, it was shown that the future positive, past positive and present hedonistic scales were negatively correlated to goal disengagement, while the present fatalistic and future negative scales were positively correlated to goal disengagement. However, when accounting for the Big-five, only the future negative and (possibly) present hedonistic scales remained statistically significant predictors of the capacity to disengage from a goal. In the third study, the role of the future time perspective was replicated among 169 people suffering from chronic pain disease. It was shown that the future time perspective (in its general form) negatively predicted the general capacity to disengage. Moreover, focusing on more process-oriented aspects, this further predicted the action crisis during goal pursuit. This set of studies not only provides novel findings but also encourages further investigation of the time perspective in goal striving.

Maladaptive Perfectionism and Academic Achievement in Indonesian Gifted Undergraduate Students: Goal Adjustment as Moderator

This paper examines the role of goal adjustment (goal disengagement and goal re-engagement) as a moderator of maladaptive perfectionism and academic achievement in Indonesian gifted undergraduate students. This cross-sectional study employs a mixed-method sequential explanatory approach. On the quantitative stage, eighty-six undergraduates identified as gifted students completed Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Goal Adjustment Scale and self-reported GPA. On the qualitative stage, eight participants were selected from the quantitative stage to participate in a face to face interview. The result showed that maladaptive perfectionism negatively correlated with academic achievement. The interaction between maladaptive perfectionism and academic achievement moderated by goal disengagement show significant interaction, while goal re-engagement was not significant.

The Relationship Between Personality and Perceived Mental Fatigability

Several personality traits are known to be protective against global fatigue, however perceived mental fatigability (PMF, Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale 0-50) specifically measures an individual’s susceptibility to cognitive tiredness and is associated with mobility decline. We assessed whether optimism, conscientiousness, goal reengagement and goal disengagement contributed to greater PMF in 1,812 men (mean±SD age 84.4±4.2 years, 90.4% white) in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study 4th visit (2014-2016). Covariates included demographic, psychological/behavioral factors, health conditions, physical activity and function. Prevalence of higher PMF (score ≥13) was 25% (n=448). In a covariate-adjusted regression model, each SD lower conscientiousness and lower optimism were associated with 0.93 and 0.61 SDs greater PMF, each p&lt;0.01. Goal disengagement and goal reengagement were not associated with PMF. These findings warrant further investigation into how personality traits may help clinicians design targeted and effective interventions to reduce fatigability, and consequently lower the risk of adverse aging-related health outcomes.

Awareness of Age-Related Change, Future Time Perspective, and Implications for Goal Management in Older Adulthood

How people manage their goals is central to adaptation across the lifespan. However, little is known about the individual difference characteristics that predict how and why people use different self-regulatory strategies. The present study aimed to investigate associations of perceived age-related gains and losses, and their interaction, as predictors of flexibility in goal management in older adulthood. We also examined whether future time perspective (FTP) mediated the relationship between AARC and goal flexibility, such that awareness of aging impacts perceptions of time remaining, impacting how individuals evaluate and manage their goals. A community-based sample of 408 adults aged between 60 and 88 years was recruited via an internet-based research platform. Participants completed questionnaire measures of AARC-gains, AARC-losses, FTP, goal disengagement, and goal re-engagement. A flexibility index reflecting tendencies toward use of both goal disengagement and re-engagement strategies was also analyzed. Although AARC-losses was associated with lower goal re-engagement and goal flexibility, this association was weaker among those with higher AARC-gains, indicating that AARC-gains may be protective in the relationship between AARC-losses and goal management. Furthermore, the association between AARC and goal management was mediated by FTP. Higher AARC-gains were associated with more open-ended FTP, which was associated with higher goal re-engagement and lower goal disengagement. On the other hand, higher AARC-losses was associated with more restricted FTP, which was associated with lower goal re-engagement, and higher goal disengagement. Results suggest that subjective awareness of aging (particularly awareness of gains), has important implications for goal management in older adulthood.