Article

OBJECTIVE: To identify subjective importance, attainability and success of life
goals and their predictive value for subjective well-being in patients with
acquired brain injury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive. SETTING: Two
inpatient neurological rehabilitation centres. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with
non-progressive neurological disorders. INTERVENTIONS: Survey using
questionnaires. MEASURES:
Life goal characteristics were assessed using a life
goal questionnaire (GOALS). Subjective well-being (composite score) was measured
using the Center of the Epidemic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Positive
and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).
RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients participated in the study. The most important life
goals are intimacy (4.59/5), achievement (3.96/5) and altruism (3.89/5). The
intimacy goals are considered most attainable (4.19/5) and patients feel most
successful in this domain (3.98/5). Two important predictions of the personal
goal model of subjective well-being could be confirmed. First, goal attainability
moderates the relation between goal importance and goal success. Second, the
influence of goal importance on subjective well-being is mediated by experienced
success. The most powerful predictors for subjective well-being are success in
the achievement domain (beta = 0.404) and discrepancy between importance and
success in the intimacy domain (beta = -0.276).
CONCLUSIONS: The subjective
well-being of neurological patients depends not only on the appraised importance
of life goals but also on their attainability and success.

Langue : ANGLAIS