Proceeding from an action perspective on development, this article addresses the
impact of perceived control over personal development on the perception and
emotional evaluation of developmental achievements and prospects in adulthood.
Findings from a research project on personal control and emotional experience of
development in adulthood reveal that low subjective control over development is
related: (1) to a depressive outlook on personal development; (2) to an unfavorable
appraisal of personal development in terms of perceived distances from personally
valued developmental goals as well as in terms of personal resources for
developmental progress. The findings further indicate that unsatisfying prospects of
personal development may instigate self-corrective tendencies. The analyses reported
(path analysis, analyses of variance) are based on questionnaire data obtained on a
sample of over 630 married couples in the age range of 30 to 60 years. The results
are specified with regard to different dimensions of personal development as well as
to age and sex of respondents.
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