The tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment scales: Examination of their validity

Abstract

This study tested the unidimensionality of the Tenacious Goal Pursuit (TGP) and Flexible Goal Adjustment (FGA) scales and examined the relationships of the factors measured in these scales with two criterion constructs (happiness and self-acceptance) and with age in a sample 292 adults (ranging from 50 to 90 years). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that to adequately account for the response patterns for TGP and FGA items, the model must also include two correlated item-keying factors (direct keyed and reverse keyed). The modified model showed a close fit to the data, but large portions of variance in the TGP and FGA item scores were explained by the item-keying factors rather than by the target factors. The target factors measured by the TGP and FGA items showed the same directional relationships with happiness and self-acceptance and no relationship with each other. Neither TGP nor FGA are related to age.