The DOI matches its Crossref record; 16 of the 16 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Unique effects of setting goals on behavior change: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: Goal setting is a common feature of behavior change interventions, but it is unclear when goal setting is optimally effective. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to evaluate: (a) the unique effects of goal setting on behavior change, and (b) under what circumstances and for whom goal setting works best. METHOD: Four databases were searched for articles that assessed the unique effects of goal setting on behavior change using randomized controlled trials. One-hundred and 41 papers were identified from which 384 effect sizes (N = 16,523) were extracted and analyzed. A moderator analysis of sample characteristics, intervention characteristics, inclusion of other behavior change techniques, study design and delivery, quality of study, outcome measures, and behavior targeted was conducted. RESULTS: A random effects model indicated a small positive unique effect of goal setting across a range of behaviors, d = .34 (CI [.28, .41]). Moderator analyses indicated that goal setting was particularly effective if the goal was: (a) difficult, (b) set publicly, and (c) was a group goal. There was weaker evidence that goal setting was more effective when paired with external monitoring of the behavior/outcome by others without feedback and delivered face-to-face. CONCLUSIONS: Goal setting is an effective behavior change technique that has the potential to be considered a fundamental component of successful interventions. The present review adds novel insights into the means by which goal setting might be augmented to maximize behavior change and sets the agenda for future programs of research. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Cites
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“Moreover, the analyses support the two central tenets of goal setting theory (Locke & Latham, 2002, 2006), namely, that setting specific and difficult goals are effective at increasing behavior change.”
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Cited by
Liverpool, S., Mota, C. P., Sales, C. M. D., Čuš, A., Carletto, S., Hancheva, C., Sousa, S., Cerón, S. C., Moreno-Peral, P., Pietrabissa, G., et al. (2020) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/16317 · Cited by 408
Research priorities for the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond: A call to action for psychological science
O'Connor, D. B., Aggleton, J. P., Chakrabarti, B., Cooper, C. L., Creswell, C., Dunsmuir, S., Fiske, S. T., Gathercole, S., Gough, B., Ireland, J. L., et al. (2020) · British Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjop.12468 · Cited by 210
Self-citationChanging Behavior Using the Model of Action Phases
Keller, L., Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2020) · The Handbook of Behavior Change · doi:10.1017/9781108677318.006 · Cited by 147
Williamson, O., Swann, C., Bennett, K. J. M., Bird, M. D., Goddard, S. G., Schweickle, M. J., & Jackman, P. C. (2024) · International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology · doi:10.1080/1750984x.2022.2116723 · Cited by 79
Goal planning in mental health service delivery: A systematic integrative review
Stewart, V., McMillan, S. S., Hu, J., Ng, R., El-Den, S., O’Reilly, C., & Wheeler, A. J. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1057915 · Cited by 30
Metadata
- Authors
- Epton, T., Currie, S., & Armitage, C. J.
- Venue
- Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1182-1198
- ISSN
- 0022-006X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2117
- OpenAlex
- W2769434684
- Cited by
- 384
- References
- 16
- FWCI
- 3.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- Funders
- National Institute for Health Research
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