Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Program Name/Specialization

Developmental Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Arts

First Advisor

Meaghan Barlow

Advisor Role

Main Master's Thesis Advisor

Abstract

Goal adjustment capacities are self-regulatory processes that protect psychological well-being by allowing individuals to disengage from unattainable goals and reengage in new attainable ones. Although research has shown that these capacities are beneficial in the context of chronic illness, little is known about how their effectiveness may differ across various aspects of the chronic illness experience. The present research consisted of two distinct yet complementary studies examining the role of goal adjustment capacities in two chronic illness contexts. Study 1 (N = 149) prompted participants to imagine the future progression of a chronic illness, whereas Study 2 (N = 145) used a daily-diary design assessing daily fluctuations in health symptoms. Within both these studies, emotional well-being and goal adjustment capacities were assessed. Findings from Study 1 revealed that goal disengagement was particularly effective in reducing negative affect when individuals considered the future progression of an illness. In Study 2, increases in daily health symptoms were associated with greater negative emotions, depressive symptoms, and stress. Although higher goal reengagement was associated with lower overall levels of these outcomes, it was found that those with greater number of chronic illnesses benefited less from goal reengagement than those with fewer chronic illnesses. Additionally, goal disengagement was associated with feelings of purpose, such that increases in health symptoms predicted decreases in purpose when goal disengagement and number of chronic illnesses followed similar patterns (both high or low). Overall, these findings suggest that the effectiveness of goal adjustment capacities differs depending on whether individuals are considering the future progression of their illness or navigating the daily variability of health symptoms.

Convocation Year

2026

Convocation Season

Fall

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