Validity and utility of the Brandtstadter Tenacious Goal Pursuit/Flexible Goal Adjustment measure in adults aging with long-term physical disabilities

TitleValidity and utility of the Brandtstadter Tenacious Goal Pursuit/Flexible Goal Adjustment measure in adults aging with long-term physical disabilities
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsTerrill AL, Molton IR, Smith AE, Jensen MP
Date Published10/2014
Conference LocationOral presentation at International Society for Quality of Life's (ISOQOL) 21st Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany
Abstract

AIMS: Much evidence suggests age-related changes in the use of assimilative and accommodative coping. However, this area has received little attention in disability research, and no studies have tested the validity of widely used measures of this coping construct in adults aging with long-term physical conditions. The aims of this study were to evaluate the psychometric properties of Brandtstadter’s 30-item Tenacious Goal Pursuit and Flexible Goal Adjustment scale (TGP/FGA) in a large sample of middle-aged adults with physically disabling conditions.

METHODS: 935 middle-aged individuals (aged 46–67) with physical disability secondary to either spinal cord injury, post-polio syndrome, neuromuscular disease or multiple sclerosis completed a return-by-mail survey that included the 30-item TGP/ FGA scale, as well as measures of depression and quality of life. Analyses included confirmatory factor analysis under the rubric of structural equation modeling.

RESULTS: A model specifying the original 2-factor structure and using all 30 items was a poor fit to the data. Model trimming, including removing items with significant cross-loadings, resulted in a 2-factor structure containing 10 items each. Fit for this revised measure was acceptable [9 2/df = 3.48, CFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.05], and internal consistency was established by Cronbach’s criteria ([0.70). Age was not significantly associated with the revised TGP subscale, but had a curvilinear relationship with the FGA subscale. Lower scores on TGP (ß = 0.32) and higher scores on FGA (ß = -0.32) subscales were associated with increased depressive symptoms (ps\0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: A 20-item version of the TGP/FGA measure demonstrates acceptable psychometric qualities in a sample of persons with physical disability. These results also emphasize that a shift toward more accommodative coping may be essential in promoting quality of life for those aging with long-term physical disabilities.