Hope for the best or prepare for the worst? Calm perseverance, not vigilant monitoring, contributes to adolescent life satisfaction

Abstract

Objective: Which kind of self-regulatory strategies contribute to life satisfaction in adolescence? Materials and methods: In the present research, we tested two competing hypotheses arguing that either a strategy of vigilant monitoring of opportunities for working towards goal achievement or a calm perseverance strategy steadily working towards goals in a slower pace would promote life satisfaction in a large and diverse sample of adolescents. We also tested whether the employment of these strategies would hinge on perceptions of goal importance and goal attainability. Results: Employing a longitudinal design, we found support that calm perseverance was the sole significant predictor of life satisfaction regardless of goal perceptions. Vigilant monitoring only contributed indirectly to life satisfaction through its positive effects on calm perseverance. Using a calm perseverance strategy was supported by perceiving one’s goals as attainable. Discussion and conclusion: These findings bear important implications for self-regulation theory that has highlighted goal progress as a prerequisite for well-being.