Linking Life Aspirations to Functional Medical Conditions: A Goal Contents Theory Perspective

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-gastroesophageal 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-especially sleep disturbance-while 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's personal goals in patient-centered care for functional conditions and underscore the need for further research exploring mechanisms and moderators of these effects.