da Silva Sara Mesquita, Boivin Jacky, Gameiro Sofia
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2016 Jun 23;11(6):e0157649. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157649. eCollection 2016.
Developmental regulation theories claim that continuing to pursue a goal when it becomes blocked contributes to poorer wellbeing. This consequence is expected to lead to the use of self-regulation strategies in the form of higher disengagement from the goal and higher reengagement in other meaningful goals. The use of these strategies is expected to lead to better wellbeing. A systematic-review and meta-analyses were conducted to test the major predictions of developmental regulation theories for blocked parenthood goal and to investigate possible moderator variables, particularly type and degree of blockage. A total of eight meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models. Moderation was tested with subgroup analysis. After searching eight databases, 4977 potential relevant manuscripts were identified but only six met inclusion criteria. From the eight meta-analyses conducted, only two were significant. In line with prediction, higher goal blockage was related to higher negative mood and reengagement in other life goals was associated to higher positive mood (p < .001). From a total of eight subgroup analyses performed, results showed that disengaging had a positive impact on wellbeing for people experiencing an unanticipated type of blockage (i.e., infertility) but not for those with an anticipated one (i.e., postponing parenthood; X2 = 4.867, p = .03). From the total of twelve sensitivity analyses performed only one suggested that results might differ. The association between disengagement and mood varied according to study quality. When only average studies were included this association was negative, although non-significant. The evidence obtained did not fully support developmental regulation theories for the pursuit of parenthood goal, but primary research had too many methodological limitations to reach firm conclusions. Future studies aimed at investigating blocked parenthood goal are required to evaluate the value of developmental regulation theories.
发展调节理论认为，当目标受阻时继续追求该目标会导致幸福感降低。这种结果预计会导致采用自我调节策略，即更高程度地脱离受阻目标，并更多地参与其他有意义的目标。采用这些策略预计会带来更好的幸福感。我们进行了一项系统综述和荟萃分析，以检验发展调节理论对受阻生育目标的主要预测，并调查可能的调节变量，特别是阻碍的类型和程度。我们使用随机效应模型进行了总共八项荟萃分析。通过亚组分析检验调节作用。在搜索了八个数据库后，我们识别出4977篇潜在相关手稿，但只有六篇符合纳入标准。在进行的八项荟萃分析中，只有两项具有统计学意义。与预测一致，更高程度的目标受阻与更高的负面情绪相关，而重新参与其他生活目标则与更高的正面情绪相关（p <.001）。在总共进行的八项亚组分析中，结果表明，对于经历意外类型阻碍（即不孕）的人，脱离对幸福感有积极影响，但对于经历预期阻碍（即推迟生育）的人则没有（X2 = 4.867，p =.03）。在总共进行的十二项敏感性分析中，只有一项表明结果可能不同。脱离与情绪之间的关联因研究质量而异。当只纳入平均水平的研究时，这种关联是负面的，尽管不显著。获得的证据并未完全支持关于追求生育目标的发展调节理论，但初步研究存在太多方法学局限性，无法得出确凿结论。未来旨在研究受阻生育目标的研究需要评估发展调节理论的价值。
