Autonomous vs. Controlled Goal Motivation Differentially Predicts Goal Progress and Well-Being through Emotion Regulation Styles

This study examined whether autonomous vs. controlled goals differentially predict goal progress, well-being, and goal attainment through integrative emotion regulation vs. suppressive emotion regulation, respectively. In Study 1 264 students reported on their academic goals with respect to mid-term exams, their goal motivations, emotion regulation styles, goal progress, and positive and negative affect. Three questionnaires were completed at two-week intervals before exams, and one questionnaire was completed a month afterward. Study 2 was a daily diary study, in which 154 students completed the same questionnaires 10 days before an exam. We analyzed the data using multilevel structural equation modeling. In both studies autonomous goal motivation predicted integrative emotion regulation, which in turn positively predicted goal progress/attainment and well-being. However, only in Study 1 did controlled goal motivation predict suppressive emotion regulation and goal progress/attainment. In both studies, however, controlled goal motivation positively predicted negative affect, and suppressive emotion regulation negatively predicted goal progress and positively predicted negative affect. This research supports and extends previous findings on the benefits of autonomous goal motivation and integrative emotion regulation for goal pursuit, as well as the costs of controlled goal motivation and suppressive emotion regulation. In addition, both studies indicate that there is an autonomous path to goal pursuit, but the evidence for a controlled path to goal pursuit is inconclusive.