The purpose of this study was (1) to explore broadly defined personal goals which was believed to affect one's general life and (2) to investigate the relationships among effort, achievement, self-efficacy, and life-satisfaction according to goal spec...
The purpose of this study was (1) to explore broadly defined personal goals which was believed to affect one's general life and (2) to investigate the relationships among effort, achievement, self-efficacy, and life-satisfaction according to goal specificity.206 undergraduate students enrolled in psychology courses participated in this study. They were asked to complete the Idiographic Personal Goal Measure(IPGM), Satisfaction With Life Scale(SWLS), Self-Efficacy Scale(SES), Beck Depression Inventory-II(BDI-II), and State Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI). There were no limitations in the number, time allowed and specificity of goals when reporting personal goals for IPGM.The results are as follows. First, significant correlation between life satisfaction, mental health and achievement was obtained. Second, there was a significant correlation between effort and achievement. Third, achievement level was significantly correlated with the level of self efficacy.Finally, structural equation modeling analysis revealed that self efficacy to effort path was significant for specific goals, but not for non-specific goals. The results suggests a virtuous cycle of effort, achievement , self efficacy, and then again effort when goals are specific.Limitations of the present study and implications for future study were discussed.