The impact of goal self-concordance on emotion regulation during academic goal pursuit: A multilevel latent profile analysis approach

Background: Goal pursuit is a key aspect of students’ life. Research shows self-concordant goals predict the type of emotion regulation strategies during academic goal striving, influencing goal outcomes. However, recent studies using multilevel latent profile analysis (ML-LPA) suggest considering the degree and consistency of emotion regulation strategy use alongside type. Aims: This study examined how self-concordant goals affect the type, degree, and consistency of emotion regulation efforts in pursuing academic goals. Using ML-LPA, we identified profiles encompassing these dimensions and explored the role of emotion regulation profile membership as mediator of goal self-concordance and goal pursuit outcomes. Theoretical framework: The study was based on the self-concordance model (Sheldon, 2014) and Bonanno and Burton's (2013) framework for emotion regulation flexibility. Sample: The sample consisted of 366 undergraduates (77 % female, M age = 20.04, SD = 1.49). Methods: In a daily diary study, participants reported on an academic goal and its self-concordance each morning. In the evening, they reported on emotion regulation strategies for negative goal-related emotions and goal pursuit outcomes. Results: Four day-level and five person-level profiles were identified. Goal self-concordance predicted optimal outcomes through increased membership likelihood in adaptive emotion regulation profiles—characterized by engagement-type strategies and an average degree of emotion regulation implementation—and through reduced membership likelihood in maladaptive profiles, typified by low degree of emotion regulation implementation and inconsistent strategy use. Conclusions: This study expands our knowledge of the processes underlying academic goal pursuit, by clarifying the emotion regulation processes mediating the relationship between goal motivation and outcomes.