Self-Regulatory Goal Motivational Processes in Sustained New Year Resolution Pursuit and Mental Wellbeing

Dickson, Joanne M, Moberly, Nicholas J, Preece, David, Dodd, Alyson and Huntley, Christopher D ORCID: 0000-0002-4045-8433 (2021) Self-Regulatory Goal Motivational Processes in Sustained New Year Resolution Pursuit and Mental Wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (6). p. 3084.

Text Self-Regulatory Processes in NY Resolution Pursuit and Mental Wellbeing.docx - Author Accepted Manuscript Download (49kB)

Abstract

<jats:p>Recent research suggests people typically “give up” pursuing their New Year resolutions within the first month. The present study investigated goal features proposed to be implicated in promoting both mental wellbeing and sustained New Year resolution pursuit. Australian and UK participants (n = 182) took part in an online longitudinal study, including four timepoints over a two-month period. At baseline, participants listed the New Year resolution to which they were most committed, and completed self-report measures to assess mental wellbeing, goal flexibility and tenacity. At the follow-up surveys, participants completed the wellbeing measure and their New Year resolution commitment, effort and stickability. As predicted, flexibility predicted wellbeing across time, however, tenacity did not. Counter to prediction, neither flexibility nor tenacity reported at baseline predicted “sticking” with one’s New Year resolution. The predicted interaction between flexibility and tenacity was not significant. New Year resolutions focused predominantly on “diet” and “exercise” were predominantly the same resolutions previously pursued and tended to be relatively abstract. Although goal flexibility predicted greater wellbeing, the findings overall tend to support the view that people are not particularly good at sticking with their New Year resolutions. Implications of the findings are discussed.</jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	wellbeing, New Year resolutions, flexible goal adjustment, goal flexibility, goal tenacity, New Year resolution &#8220, stickability&#8221, New Year resolution goal characteristics, self-regulation
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Life Courses and Medical Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Life Courses and Medical Sciences > School of Medicine
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	26 Mar 2021 11:21
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 22:54
DOI:	10.3390/ijerph18063084
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3118175