Der Lebenszielfragebogen GOALS: Befunde zur internen und externen Validität auf der Basis einer repräsentativen Bevölkerungsstichprobe und einer klinischen Stichprobe

Abstract

The life goals questionnaire GOALS (Pöhlmann & Brunstein, 1997) assesses the six life goal categories of intimacy, affiliation, altruism, achievement, power, and diversion. Each of the six categories contains four items which are rated according to the goal attributes of importance, attainability and current progress. This article presents three studies examining the internal and external validity of GOALS and the stability of life goals over a period of two years. Based on data of a representative population sample (N = 2396) the factor structure was confirmed separately for the importance as well as for the progress dimension in study 1. The psychometric quality of the items and scales was found to be good to very good. In study 2 the factor structure was replicated in a sample of mentally healthy individuals (N = 620) and in a clinical sample of patients suffering from depression (N = 464). In both samples the six life goal categories were identified as independent factors within each of the three life goal attributes of importance, attainability, and progress. Differences between healthy individuals and patients suffering from depression in the extent of commitment to life goals, their attainability and current progress in life goal attainment provided evidence for the external validity of the questionnaire. In study 3 (N = 86) the stability of life goals was examined over a time period of two years. Commitment to life goals proved to be very stable while attainability and current progress in attainment were found to be less stable. The results of the three studies confirm that the life goal questionnaire GOALS possesses high internal und external validity.