Self‐Regulation Processes and Health: The Importance of Optimism and Goal Adjustment
Open accessAbstract
ABSTRACT This article discusses how self‐regulatory models can be used to understand people's response to health threats. The article begins with a general discussion of the principles and assumptions of self‐regulatory models of behavior. Two distinct lines of research are then presented addressing two important processes of adaptive self‐regulation. First, we provide a brief overview of the literature on optimism and adjustment to chronic disease and other health outcomes. Second, we present an overview of the process of disengagement from unattainable goals, focusing on recent research. We close by making recommendations for future research.
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Individuals with better psychological health are less likely to perceive daily stressors as threatening.
“be less likely to perceive daily stressors as threatening, 162,163”
From Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2021) · cites this paper as [163]
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“This is important in the pursue of a valued goal without sacrificing quality of life.(82) We have begun to see clinical trials evaluating life goals or preferences in people with chronic diseases.”
- Authors
- Rasmussen, H. N., Wrosch, C., Scheier, M. F., & Carver, C. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Concordia University (CA)
- Carnegie Mellon University (US)
- University of Miami (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rasmussen, Heather N.
- Venue
- Journal of Personality
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-10-04
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1721-1748
- ISSN
- 0022-3506 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-6494
- OpenAlex
- W2109623270
- Cited by
- 365
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 1.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Locations
- Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- KiltHub Repository (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- KiltHub Repository
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL 076858, HL65111, HL65112, HL 076852, P50HL065112, #HL07560, R24HL076852, R24HL076858, P50HL065111)
- National Cancer Institute (CA-78995, R01CA064710, CA84944, R01CA078995, CA64710, P50CA084944)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Wellbeing Research
- Keywords
- self-regulation, optimism, goal adjustment, chronic disease, health hazards, adaptive self-regulation, health behavior
- MeSH terms
- Attitude to Health, Humans, Internal-External Control, Life Style, Models, Psychological, Personality, Social Control, Informal, Health Behavior, Self Efficacy, Personal Autonomy
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