Defining open goals for the promotion of health behaviours: a critical conceptual review.

Abstract

Recently there have been calls in health psychology to re-examine the assumption that goals must be specific to be most effective, and to understand when and why nonspecific goals may produce comparable effects to specific goals. In particular, open goals have received increasing attention from both research and applied perspectives. However, there has not yet been a clear and robust definition of open goals, without which there is a risk of inaccurate or inconsistent research and implementation. Therefore, our primary aim was to develop a conceptual definition of open goals by examining necessary (i.e., essential) and sufficient (i.e., unique) attributes. The resulting definition identifies that open goals are nonspecific and phrased in an exploratory way, with measurable parameters, producing graded outcomes. A secondary aim was to critically review the initial evidence on open goals and highlight key priorities for future research. Five databases were searched, identifying 16 studies reporting empirical data on open goals, which were assessed using the mixed methods appraisal tool. A critical appraisal is provided, and priorities for future research are highlighted. In turn, this definition and review may help guide research and practice in the use of open goals as a strategy to promote health behaviours.