Advertisement

Cross-lagged relationships between person-based resources, self-perceptions, and career and life satisfaction in young adults

  • Jessica M. Haratsis
  • Peter A. Creed
  • Michelle Hood
Article
First Online:

Abstract

We tested the across-time relationships between the person-based resources of assimilation (or goal pursuit) and accommodation (or goal adjustment) and two well-being outcomes (satisfaction with career progress and life satisfaction), and assessed if these relationships were mediated by self-perceptions (perceived goal attainability and optimism). Participants were 204 young adults (79 % female; M age 26 years), who were surveyed twice, 6 months apart. Consistent with the dual-process framework for goal management, assimilation was associated with more positive self-perceptions (attainability and optimism) and higher subsequent satisfaction with career progress and life satisfaction. Perceived goal attainability mediated between assimilation and the two satisfaction outcomes. Accommodation was associated with higher subsequent life satisfaction only. Thus, both assimilation and accommodation were related to better life satisfaction in young adults, but assimilation was more adaptive in the career domain.

Keywords

Career goal management Career progress Dual-process framework 

Résumé

Relations longitudinales transversales décalées entre ressources internes, perceptions de soi et satisfaction de vie et de carrière chez les jeunes adultes. Nous avons testé à travers le temps les relations entre les ressources internes d’assimilation (poursuite de l’objectif) et d’accommodation (ajustement à l’objectif) et le bien-être, et avons évalué si ces relations étaient médiatisées par l’accessibilité de l’objectif et l’optimisme. Des jeunes adultes (N = 204; 79 % de femmes; M âge = 26 ans) ont été interrogés deux fois, à 6 mois d’intervalle. L’assimilation était associée à une plus grande accessibilité perçue de l’objectif et à un plus haut niveau d’optimisme, ainsi qu’à un plus grand bien-être ultérieur (l’accessibilité était un médiateur du lien entre l’assimilation et le bien-être). L’accommodation était associée à un plus grand bien-être ultérieur. Les résultats soutiennent le cadre d’un processus dual, bien que l’assimilation ait été plus adaptative dans le domaine de la carrière.

Zusammenfassung

Zeitversetzte Zusammenhänge zwischen personenbasierten Ressourcen, Selbstwahrnehmung und Karriere- und Lebenszufriedenheit bei jungen Erwachsenen. Wir haben die längsschnittlichen Beziehungen zwischen den personenbasierten Ressourcen von Assimilation (Zielverfolgung) und Akkommodation (Zielanpassung) und Wohlbefinden untersucht, und überprüften, ob diese Beziehungen durch Zielerreichbarkeit und Optimismus vermittelt wurden. Junge Erwachsene (N = 204; 79 % weiblich; M Alter = 26 Jahre) wurden zweimal mit einem Abstand von 6 Monaten befragt. Assimilation wurde mit einer höher wahrgenommenen Zielrreichbarkeit, Optimismus und anschließend höherem Wohlbefinden assoziiert (Erreichbarkeit vermittelt zwischen Assimilation und Wohlbefinden). Akkommodation wurde anschließend mit höherem Wohlbefinden assoziiert. Die Ergebnisse unterstützen duale Prozessmodelle, obwohl Assimilation adaptiver im Karrierebereich war.

Resumen

Relaciones cruzadas entre los recursos personales, las autopercepciones y la satisfacción en la carrera y en la vida en jóvenes adultos. Se ha comprobado las relaciones en el tiempo entre los recursos personales de asimilación (persecución de la meta) y acomodación (ajuste de metas) y bienestar, y se ha valorado si estas relaciones estaban mediadas por la accesibilidad a la meta y el optimismo. Una muestra de jóvenes adultas (N = 204; 79 % mujeres, Medad 26 años) fueron estudiadas en dos ocasiones con una diferencia de 6 meses. La asimilación estaba asociada con una mayor percepción de accesibilidad a la meta y optimismo y subsecuentemente con el bienestar (la accesibilidad mediaba entre la asimilación y el bienestar). La acomodación fue asociada con un subsecuente mayor bienestar. Los resultados mostraron un marco dual de procesos aunque la asimilación fue más adaptativa en el ámbito de la carrera.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Abele, A. E., & Spurk, D. (2009). The longitudinal impact of self-efficacy and career goals on objective and subjective career success. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74, 53–62. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2008.10.005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Arbuckle, J. L., & Wothke, W. (1995). Amos 4.0 user’s guide. Chicago, IL: Small Waters Corporation.Google Scholar
  3. Bailly, N., Hervé, C., Joulain, M., & Alaphilippe, D. (2012). Validation of the French version of Brandtstädter and Renner’s tenacious goal pursuit (TGP) and flexible goal adjustment (FGA) scales. Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliqué, 62, 29–35. doi: 10.1016/j.erap.2011.09.005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Bailly, N., Joulain, M., Hervé, C., & Alaphilippe, D. (2011). Coping with negative life events in old age: The role of tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment. Aging and Mental Health, iFirst. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2011.630374.Google Scholar
  5. Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1–20. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Bentler, P. M., & Chou, C. (1987). Practical issues in structural modeling. Sociological Methods and Research, 16, 78–117. doi: 10.1177/0049124187016001004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Brandtstädter, J. (1989). Personal self-regulation of development: Cross-sequential analyses of development-related control beliefs and emotions. Developmental Psychology, 25, 96–108. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.25.1.96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Brandtstädter, J., & Renner, G. (1990). Tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment: Explication and age-related analysis of assimilative and accommodative strategies of coping. Psychology and Aging, 5, 58–67. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.5.1.58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Brandtstädter, J., & Rothermund, K. (2002). The life-course dynamics of goal pursuit and goal adjustment: A two-process framework. Developmental Review, 22, 117–150. doi: 10.1006/drev.2001.0539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Burkholder, G. J., & Harlow, L. L. (2003). An illustration of a longitudinal cross-lagged design for larger structural equation models. Structural Equation Modeling, 10, 465–486. doi: 10.1207/S15328007SEM1003_8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (1998). On the self-regulation of behaviour. New York: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Creed, P. A., & Hughes, T. (2013). Career development strategies as moderators between career compromise and career outcomes in emerging adults. Journal of Career Development, 40, 146–163. doi: 10.1177/0894845312437207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Creed, P. A., & Rogers, M. E. (2011). A longitudinal examination of adolescent career planning and exploration using a social cognitive career theory framework. Journal of Adolescence, 34, 163–172. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.12.010.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Darlington, A.-S. E., Dippel, D. W. J., Ribbers, G. M., van Balen, R., Passchier, J., & Busschbach, J. J. V. (2007). Coping strategies as determinants of quality of life in stroke patients. Cerebrovascular Diseases, 23, 401–407. doi: 10.1159/000101463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. doi:. 10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.125.2.276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Elliot, A. J., Chirkov, V. I., Kim, Y., & Sheldon, K. M. (2001). A cross-cultural analysis of avoidance (relative to approach) personal goals. Psychological Science, 12, 505–510. doi: 10.1111/1467-9280.00393.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Frazier, L. D., Newman, F. L., & Jaccard, J. (2007). Psychosocial outcomes in later life: A multivariate model. Psychology and Aging, 22, 676–689. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.22.4.676.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Gaudreau, P., & Blondin, J. P. (2004). Differential associations of dispositional optimism and pessimism with coping, goal attainment, and emotional adjustment during sport competition. International Journal of Stress Management, 11, 245–269. doi: 10.1037/1072-5245.11.3.245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Greenhaus, J. H., Parasuraman, S., & Wormley, W. M. (1990). Effects of race on organizational experiences, job performance evaluations, and career outcomes. Academy of Management Journal, 33, 64–86. doi: 10.2307/256352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Haase, C. M., Heckhausen, J., & Koller, O. (2008). Goal engagement during the school–work transition: Beneficial for all, particularly for girls. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 18, 671–698. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2008.00576.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Haase, C. M., Heckhausen, J., & Silbereisen, R. K. (2012). The interplay of occupational motivation and well-being during the transition from university to work. Developmental Psychology, 48, 1739–1751. doi: 10.1037/a0026641.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
  25. Haratsis, J. M., Creed, P. A., & Hood, M. (2015a). Measuring assimilative and accommodative resources in young adults: Development and initial validation of suitable scales. Personality and Individual Differences, 81, 61–66. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.12.011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Haratsis, J. M., Hood, M., & Creed, P. A. (2015b). Career goals in young adults: Personal resources, goal appraisals, attitudes, and goal management strategies. Journal of Career Development. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/0894845315572019.
  27. Heckhausen, J., & Schulz, R. (1995). A life-span theory of control. Psychological Review, 102, 284-304. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/rev/.
  28. Hennessey, M. L., Rumrill, P. D., Fitzgerald, S., & Roessler, R. (2008). Disadvantagement-related correlates of career optimism among college and university students with disabilities. Work, 30, 483-492. Retrieved from https://iospress.metapress.com/content/n6574x557681263p/resource-secured/?target=fulltext.pdf.
  29. Henselmans, I., Fleer, J., van Sonderen, E., Smink, A., Sanderman, R., & Ranchor, A. V. (2011). The Tenacious Goal Pursuit and Flexible Goal Adjustment scales: A validation study. Psychology and Aging, 26, 174–180. doi: 10.1037/a0021536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Hyvönen, K., Feldt, T., Salmela-Aro, K., Kinnunen, U., & Mäkikangas, A. (2009). Young managers’ drive to thrive: A personal work goal approach to burnout and work engagement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75, 183–196. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2009.04.002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Kelly, R. E., Wood, A. M., & Mansell, W. (2013). Flexible and tenacious goal pursuit lead to improving well-being in an aging population: A ten-year cohort study. International Psychogeriatrics, 25, 16–24. doi: 10.1017/S1041610212001391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Kjoelaas, S. (2013). Goal commitment moderates the relationship between assimilative and accommodative coping and goal management strategies. Unpublished thesis. Griffith University, Australia.Google Scholar
  33. Kline, R. B. (1998). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York: The Guilford Press.Google Scholar
  34. Krings, F., Bangerter, A., Gomez, V., & Grob, A. (2008). Cohort differences in personal goals and life satisfaction in young adulthood. Journal of Adult Development, 15, 93–105. doi: 10.1007/s10804-008-9039-6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Landis, R. S., Beal, D. J., & Tesluck, P. E. (2000). A comparison of approaches to forming composite measures in structural equation models. Organizational Research Methods, 3, 186–207. doi: 10.1177/109442810032003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Leipold, B., & Greve, W. (2009). Resilience: A conceptual bridge between coping and development. European Psychologist, 14, 40–50. doi: 10.1027/1016-9040.14.1.40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Little, T. D., Cunningham, W. A., Shahar, G., & Widaman, K. F. (2002). To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits. Structural Equation Modelling, 9, 151–173. doi: 10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Little, T. D., Preacher, K. J., Selig, J. P., & Card, N. A. (2007). New developments in latent variable panel analyses of longitudinal data. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 31, 357–365. doi: 10.1177/0165025407077757.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A theory of goal setting and task performance. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
  40. Mueller, D. J., & Kim, K. (2004). The Tenacious Goal Pursuit and Flexible Goal Adjustment scales: Examination of their validity. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 64, 120–142. doi: 10.1177/0013164403258456.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Nurmi, J.-E., Salmela-Aro, K., & Koivisto, P. (2002). Goal importance and related achievement beliefs during the transition from vocational school to work. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60, 241–261. doi: 10.1006/jvbe.2001.1866.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Rothermund, K., & Brandtstädter, J. (2003). Depression in later life: Cross-sequential patterns and possible determinants. Psychology and Aging, 18, 80–90. doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.18.1.80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 1069–1081. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. Savickas, M. L., Nota, L., Rossier, J., Dauwalder, J. P., Duarte, M. E., Guichard, J.,… & Van Vianen, A. E. (2009). Life designing: A paradigm for career construction in the 21st century. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75, 239–250. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2009.04.004.
  45. Schoon, I., & Parsons, S. (2002). Teenage aspirations for future careers and occupational outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60, 262–288. doi: 10.1006/jvbe.2001.1867.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. Schulenberg, J. E., Bryant, A. L., & O’Malley, P. M. (2004). Taking hold of some kind of life: How developmental tasks relate to trajectories of well-being during the transition to adulthood. Development and Psychopathology, 16, 1119–1140. doi: 10.1017/S0954579404040167.
  47. Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 482–497. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.76.3.482.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  48. Shulman, S., Feldman, B., Blatt, S. J., Cohen, O., & Mahler, A. (2005). Emerging adulthood: Age-related tasks and underlying self-processes. Journal of Adolescent Research, 20, 577–603. doi: 10.1177/0743558405274913.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Shulman, S., & Nurmi, J. E. (2010). Dynamics of goal pursuit and personality make-up among emerging adults. In S. Shulman & J. E. Nurmi (Eds.), The role of goals in navigating individual lives during emerging adulthood: New directions for child and adolescent development (Vol. 130, pp. 57–70). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
  50. Singley, D. B., Lent, R. W., & Sheu, H. B. (2010). Longitudinal test of a social cognitive model of academic and life satisfaction. Journal of Career Assessment, 18, 133–146. doi: 10.1177/1069072709354199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. Skinner, E. A., Edge, K., Altman, J., & Sherwood, H. (2003). Searching for the structure of coping: A review and critique of category systems for classifying ways of coping. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 216–269. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.129.2.216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  52. Taris, T. W., & Kompier, M. A. (2006). Games researchers play: Extreme groups analysis and mediation analysis in longitudinal occupational health research. Scandinavian Journal of Work Environmental Health, 32, 463–472. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.1051.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  53. Tobin, S. J., & Raymundo, M. M. (2010). Causal uncertainty and psychological well-being: The moderating role of accommodation (secondary control). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36, 371–383. doi: 10.1177/0146167209359701.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. Tolentino, L. R., Garcia, P. R., Restubog, S. L., Bordia, P., & Tang, R. L. (2013). Validation of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale and an examination of a model of career adaptation in the Philippine context. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83, 410–418. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2013.06.013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  55. Wiese, B. S., & Freund, A. M. (2005). Goal progress makes one happy, or does it? Longitudinal findings from the work domain. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 78, 287–304. doi: 10.1348/096317905X26714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. Wrosch, C., Miller, G. E., Scheier, M. F., & Brun de Pontet, S. (2007). Giving up on unattainable goals: Benefits for health? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 251–265. doi: 10.1177/0146167206294905.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  57. Wrosch, C., Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Schulz, R. (2003a). The importance of goal disengagement in adaptive self-regulation: When giving up is beneficial. Self and Identity, 2, 1–20. doi: 10.1080/15298860390129818.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  58. Wrosch, C., Scheier, M. F., Miller, G. E., Schulz, R., & Carver, C. S. (2003b). Adaptive self-regulation of unattainable goals: Goal disengagement, goal reengagement, and subjective well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 1494–1508. doi: 10.1177/014616720325692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jessica M. Haratsis
    • 1
  • Peter A. Creed
    • 1
  • Michelle Hood
    • 1
  1. 1.School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute QueenslandGriffith UniversityGold CoastAustralia

Personalised recommendations

Cite article

Buy options