{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T22:24:56Z","timestamp":1761171896640,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760659200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Psychological and motivational factors are implicated in various medical conditions, yet the link between physical health and life aspirations, as defined in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), remains underexplored. To address this gap and advance theory, we conducted a preliminary investigation of associations between aspirations and self-reported symptoms across five functional medical conditions\u2014gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), headaches, sleep disturbances, and sexual dysfunction. We surveyed 392 Canadian medical patients (Mage = 42.8 years, SD = 12.7, 50.5% women, 82.1% white, 75.3% with higher education) to assess whether the relative importance, likelihood, and attainment of intrinsic (e.g., personal growth, relationships, community, health) and extrinsic (e.g., wealth, fame, image) aspirations were associated with symptoms. Consistent with hypotheses, greater relative prioritization of intrinsic goals was linked to fewer symptoms\u2014especially sleep disturbance\u2014while extrinsic aspirations were associated with increased symptoms, particularly GERD. Sociodemographic factors, such as age, gender, education, religiosity, and subjective financial status, also showed associations with goal orientations and symptom burden, broadly aligning with SDT predictions. Findings highlight the potential relevance of people\u2019s personal goals in patient-centered care for functional conditions and underscore the need for further research exploring mechanisms and moderators of these effects.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22101582","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T16:13:03Z","timestamp":1760717583000},"page":"1582","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Linking Life Aspirations to Functional Medical Conditions: A Goal Contents Theory Perspective"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2848-8100","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adam","family":"Neufeld","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6423-5499","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emma L.","family":"Bradshaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1080\/09540261.2020.1845125","article-title":"The medical model and its application in mental health","volume":"33","author":"Huda","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. Rev. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Burton, C., Fink, P., Henningsen, P., L\u00f6we, B., and Rief, W. (2020). Functional somatic disorders: Discussion paper for a new common classification for research and clinical use. BMC Med., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12916-020-1505-4"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.18773\/austprescr.2018.044","article-title":"Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome","volume":"41","author":"Basnayake","year":"2018","journal-title":"Aust. Prescr."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Petersen, M.W., Schr\u00f6der, A., J\u00f8rgensen, T., \u00d8rnb\u00f8l, E., Meinertz Dantoft, T., Eliasen, M., Benros, M.E., and Fink, P. (2020). Irritable bowel, chronic widespread pain, chronic fatigue and related syndromes are prevalent and highly overlapping in the general population: DanFunD. Sci. Rep., 10.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-60318-6"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mollaioli, D., Ciocca, G., Limoncin, E., Di Sante, S., Gravina, G.L., Carosa, E., Lenzi, A., and Jannini, E. (2020). Lifestyles and sexuality in men and women: The gender perspective in sexual medicine. Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12958-019-0557-9"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1080\/02668734.2012.678061","article-title":"A mentalization-based approach to the understanding and treatment of functional somatic disorders","volume":"26","author":"Luyten","year":"2012","journal-title":"Psychoanal. Psychother."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ryan, R.M., and Deci, E.L. (2017). Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness, Guilford Publishing.","DOI":"10.1521\/978.14625\/28806"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bradshaw, E.L. (2023). Causes, costs and caveats: Reflections and future directions for Goal Contents Theory. The Oxford Handbook of Self-Determination Theory, Oxford University Press.","DOI":"10.1093\/oxfordhb\/9780197600047.013.7"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"232","DOI":"10.1007\/s11031-018-9733-z","article-title":"The path from intrinsic aspirations to subjective well-being is mediated by changes in basic psychological need satisfaction and autonomous motivation: A large prospective test","volume":"43","author":"Hope","year":"2019","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1080\/02678373.2023.2239198","article-title":"Materialism predicts burnout through the basic needs: Individual-level and within-person longitudinal evidence","volume":"38","author":"Reyes","year":"2024","journal-title":"Work Stress"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"873","DOI":"10.1037\/pspp0000431","article-title":"A Meta-Analysis of the Dark Side of the American Dream: Evidence for the Universal Wellness Costs of Prioritizing Extrinsic Over Intrinsic Goals","volume":"124","author":"Bradshaw","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pec.2008.08.015","article-title":"Aspiring to physical health: The role of aspirations for physical health in facilitating long-term tobacco abstinence","volume":"74","author":"Niemiec","year":"2009","journal-title":"Patient Educ. Couns."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1123\/jsep.31.2.189","article-title":"Examining intrinsic versus extrinsic exercise goals: Cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes","volume":"31","author":"Sebire","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Sport Exerc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2013.08.005","article-title":"Goal contents, motivation, psychological need satisfaction, well-being and physical activity: A test of self-determination theory over 6 months","volume":"15","author":"Gunnell","year":"2014","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"189","article-title":"Goal Content for the Practice of Physical Activity","volume":"6","author":"Nogueira","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Aging Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Behzadnia, B., Deci, E.L., and De Haan, C.R. (2020). Predicting Relations Among Life Goals, Physical Activity, Health, and Well-Being in Elderly Adults: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective on Healthy Aging. Self-Determination Theory and Healthy Aging: Comparative Contexts on Physical and Mental Well-Being, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-981-15-6968-5_4"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e10022","DOI":"10.2196\/10022","article-title":"Users\u2019 intrinsic goals linked to alcohol dependence risk level and engagement with a health promotion website (Hello Sunday Morning): Observational study","volume":"5","author":"Bradshaw","year":"2018","journal-title":"JMIR Ment. Health"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"280","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167296223006","article-title":"Further examining the American dream: Differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals","volume":"22","author":"Kasser","year":"1996","journal-title":"Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.1007\/s11031-006-9043-8","article-title":"Goal motives, well-being, and physical health: Happiness and self-realization as psychological resources under challenge","volume":"30","author":"Miquelon","year":"2006","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1037\/a0012759","article-title":"Goal motives, well-being, and physical health: An integrative model","volume":"49","author":"Miquelon","year":"2008","journal-title":"Can. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1057\/s41287-020-00337-1","article-title":"Introduction: Development, Young People, and the Social Production of Aspirations","volume":"33","author":"Huijsmans","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur. J. Dev. Res."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.65.2.410","article-title":"A Dark Side of the American Dream: Correlates of Financial Success as a Central Life Aspiration","volume":"65","author":"Kasser","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"693","article-title":"Aspirations and well-being: Extrinsic vs. intrinsic life goals","volume":"20","author":"Rijavec","year":"2011","journal-title":"Drus. Istraz."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1007\/s11031-008-9081-5","article-title":"Psychological threat and extrinsic goal striving","volume":"32","author":"Sheldon","year":"2008","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113210","DOI":"10.1016\/j.paid.2025.113210","article-title":"Are life goals invariant across different sociocultural and economic conditions? A study on a representative sample of adolescents","volume":"241","author":"Manganelli","year":"2025","journal-title":"Pers. Individ. Differ."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1509","DOI":"10.1177\/01461672992510007","article-title":"The American dream in Russia: Extrinsic aspirations and well-being in two cultures","volume":"25","author":"Ryan","year":"1999","journal-title":"Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1007084005278","article-title":"Intrinsic and extrinsic goals: Their structure and relationship to well-being in German and U.S. college students","volume":"50","author":"Schmuck","year":"2000","journal-title":"Soc. Indic. Res."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1459","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167211413125","article-title":"Self-Determination Theory and Diminished Functioning: The Role of Interpersonal Control and Psychological Need Thwarting","volume":"37","author":"Bartholomew","year":"2011","journal-title":"Personal. Soc. Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1007\/s11031-011-9204-2","article-title":"Cortisol reactivity to a teacher\u2019s motivating style: The biology of being controlled versus supporting autonomy","volume":"35","author":"Reeve","year":"2011","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fredrickson, B.L., Grewen, K.M., Algoe, S.B., Firestine, A., Arevalo, J., Ma, J., and Cole, S. (2015). Psychological well-being and the human conserved transcriptional response to adversity. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0121839"},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"World Medical Association (2013). Declaration of Helsinki Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. Science (80-), 201."},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"171","article-title":"Psychometric characteristics of the shortened aspiration index in a national sample","volume":"7","author":"Martos","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ment. Hyg. Psychosom."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1037\/cbs0000397","article-title":"Life Aspirations and Health in Canada: A Patient-Oriented Study","volume":"57","author":"Neufeld","year":"2025","journal-title":"Can. J. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1451","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2036.2007.03343.x","article-title":"The Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease Impact Scale: A patient management tool for primary care","volume":"25","author":"Jones","year":"2007","journal-title":"Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roalfe, A.K., Roberts, L.M., and Wilson, S. (2008). Evaluation of the Birmingham IBS symptom questionnaire. BMC Gastroenterol., 8.","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-230X-8-30"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.1177\/0333102410379890","article-title":"Validation of the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6TM) across episodic and chronic migraine","volume":"31","author":"Yang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Cephalalgia"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"527","DOI":"10.1111\/head.14049","article-title":"Measurement properties of the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6TM Brazil) in primary and secondary headaches","volume":"61","author":"Pradela","year":"2021","journal-title":"Headache"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.smrv.2016.02.004","article-title":"Questionnaires that screen for multiple sleep disorders","volume":"32","author":"Klingman","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sleep Med. Rev."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1080\/009262300278623","article-title":"The arizona sexual experience scale (Asex): Reliability and validity","volume":"26","author":"McGahuey","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Sex Marital. Ther."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S., and Aiken, L. (2003). Applied Multiple Regression\/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, Lawrence Erbaum Associates, Inc.. [3rd ed.]. Available online: https:\/\/eli.johogo.com\/Class\/CCU\/SEM\/_Applied%20Multiple%20Regression-Correlation%20Analysis%20for%20the%20Behavioral%20Sciences_Cohen.pdf."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"285","article-title":"Heuristics for Sample Size Determination in Multivariate Statistical Techniques","volume":"27","author":"Siddiqui","year":"2013","journal-title":"World Appl. Sci. J."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jrp.2008.09.001","article-title":"The path taken: Consequences of attaining intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations in post-college life","volume":"43","author":"Niemiec","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Res. Pers."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Otero-L\u00f3pez, J.M., Santiago, M.J., and Castro, M.C. (2021). Life aspirations, generativity and compulsive buying in university students. Int Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18158060"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"212","DOI":"10.1007\/s11031-015-9526-6","article-title":"Autonomy support and diastolic blood pressure: Long term effects and conflict navigation in romantic relationships","volume":"40","author":"Weinstein","year":"2016","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Martos, T., and Kopp, M. (2014). Life Goals and Well-Being in Hungary. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-007-0753-5_3952"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"405","DOI":"10.1007\/s10902-014-9515-6","article-title":"Personal Goals, Socio-Economic Context and Happiness: Studying a Diverse Sample in Peru","volume":"16","author":"Kasser","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Happiness Stud."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.68","article-title":"Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"482","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.76.3.482","article-title":"Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model","volume":"76","author":"Sheldon","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1111\/jopy.12047","article-title":"When the going gets tough: The \u201cWhy\u201d of goal striving matters","volume":"82","author":"Ntoumanis","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Pers."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Perilli, E., Perazzini, M., Bontempo, D., Ranieri, F., Di Giacomo, D., Crosti, C., Marcotullio, S., and Cobianchi, S. (2022). Reduced Anxiety Associated to Adaptive and Mindful Coping Strategies in General Practitioners Compared with Hospital Nurses in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Primary Care Reorganization. Front. Psychol., 13.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.891470"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/22\/10\/1582\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T04:16:40Z","timestamp":1761106600000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/22\/10\/1582"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]]},"references-count":50,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph22101582"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph22101582","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1660-4601"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]]}}}