The Tenacious Goal Pursuit and Flexible Goal Adjustment Scales: A Validation Study

Inge Henselmans; Joke Fleer; Eric van Sonderen; Ans Smink; Robbert Sanderman; Adelita V. Ranchor

doi:10.1037/a0021536

The Tenacious Goal Pursuit and Flexible Goal Adjustment Scales: A Validation Study

Inge Henselmans
, Joke Fleer
, Eric van Sonderen
, Ans Smink
, Robbert Sanderman
, Adelita V. Ranchor^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Health Psychology Research (HPR)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	174-180
Number of pages	7
Journal	Psychology and Aging
Volume	26
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021536
Publication status	Published - Mar-2011

Keywords

psychological adaptation
self-regulation
goals
validity
confirmatory factor analysis
SECONDARY CONTROL
SELF-REGULATION
LATER LIFE
OLD-AGE
CHALLENGES
STRATEGIES
RESOURCES
HEALTH

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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.",

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AU - Smink, Ans

AU - Sanderman, Robbert

AU - Ranchor, Adelita V.

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KW - self-regulation

KW - goals

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KW - confirmatory factor analysis

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KW - LATER LIFE

KW - OLD-AGE

KW - CHALLENGES

KW - STRATEGIES

KW - RESOURCES

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The Tenacious Goal Pursuit and Flexible Goal Adjustment Scales: A Validation Study

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Keywords

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