PERSONAL GROWTH INITIATIVE

A Review of the Research Literature

From 2011-2021

By:

Cherry Luz Marquez

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

College of Education, Arts and Sciences

Lyceum of the Philippines University - Batangas
Capitol Site, Batangas City, Philippines
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary 1

Introduction 2

Methods 3

Results 4

Personal Growth Initiative 4

Readiness for Change 10

Planfulness 14

Using Resources 15

Intentional Behavior 16

Conclusions 19

Recommendations 20

References 21

2
 Executive Summary

This paper provides a contextual review of the literature about personal growth initiative.

The rationale for the review is to have a listing and digested roster of studies and concepts

which were gathered by previous scholars and researchers. The sources that were used in this

literature review are secondary sources like books, journal articles, theses and blogs which dis-

cuss the topic at hand.

The variable personal growth initiative was discussed in general and was further ex-

plained in the context of its four tenets or sub-variables such as Readiness for Change, Planful-

ness, Using Resources and Intentional Behavior. It was concluded from the analysis and syn-

thesis of the various literature that personal growth initiative is about a transformation process

that confers a positively changed behavior. Essentially, transformation is thought of as positive

for becoming more complete and fully functioning form the perspective of the person who is un-

dergoing such transformation.

Conclusions from the study revealed that tenets or constructs which are essentially oper-

ating synergistically, rather than sequentially. The rationale for the same based on the review is

to optimize the level of personal growth of an individual by allowing him or her to utilize the ben-

efits of the initiative factors altogether to achieve the positively changed behavior that he or she

desires.

Recommendations from the literature review were presented by the current researcher

for various stakeholders which hopefully may benefit from the findings coming from synthesis

and discussions. For students, the recommendation is focused on the application of the learning

from this review. For educators in the field of Psychology is the expansion of knowledge for edu-

1
cational and illustrative purposes. Finally, the recommendation for future researchers included

supplementing the review with local literature.

Introduction

Challenges in the 21st century has increasingly become unprecedented particularly amid

the COVID-19 pandemic where all faces of life has been affected whether social, political, eco-

nomic and even psychological. More and more difficulties and stressors are imposed upon indi-

viduals significantly impacting their mental health. Despite these challenges, there is still a need

to grow personally and professionally whether one is a student, employee or parent. The mini-

mum value of surviving a day is constantly being challenged by still having accomplished vari-

ous tasks and deliverables like school projects, modules, reports and caring for the welfare of

their respective family members.

With the foregoing discussion, it is essential to study about personal growth initiative of

identifying practicable ways to improve oneself and make a room for positively changed behav-

ior. The current researcher has compiled, analyzed and synthesized the knowledge base re-

garding personal growth initiative to make an extensive discussion and presentation of the stud-

ies and concepts worked on and conveyed to contemporary times by various scholars and psy-

chologists. This paper is therefore anchored to the furtherance of realizing the importance of

personal growth among students and the youth.

Essentially, personal growth is an ongoing process that starts from an early age, but

mostly shaped by parents, teachers, and the environment. However to make the most of it, one

needs to become aware of the process, know what it is, and take the right steps to grow and im-

prove oneself. Sometimes, problems and difficulties are the triggers that awaken the desire to

2
grow, and lead to making changes in one’s life. At other times, people are inspired to take steps

toward personal growth after reading an inspiring book, watching a movie or reading about peo-

ple who achieved success. This often leads people to new paths, to making changes in their

lives, expanding their knowledge and self-awareness, improving skills, and developing new

ones.

There are many books, articles, workshops and coaches teaching personal growth. If

one find this topic interesting, and something one want to do, they can find all the information

they need by searching for it on the Internet. However, due to the volume of sources and the

question of reliability and credibility, a literature review like this is beneficial to various students

and researchers who find the topic interesting. Personal growth can help one in all areas of

one’s life. It can help them at work. It can change their attitude toward work, and therefore, open

new opportunities for advancement. Personal growth can help in growing emotionally and men-

tally and becoming a more considerate, loving and positive person.

Methodology

The paper was designed as a descriptive study of the existing literature about personal

growth initiative. The data gathering procedure that was used is researching and sourcing sec-

ondary data from previous studies and theses available in the Internet. The researcher followed

the ten year period for the relevance of cited sources which covered those which were pub-

lished from 2011 up to 2021. This will ensure that the studies are up to date and still relevant in

the current period. A minimum of ten (10) research papers was used in the literature review to

make a good comparison and contrast of the principles and concepts provided by the respective

researchers. The following distribution shows the number of sources or materials that were used

for every research variable presented under the Results section:

3
 Variables or Sections No. of Sources
Personal Growth Initiative 6
Readiness for Change 5
Planfulness 3
Using Resources 3
Intentional Behavior 3

4
 Results

From the extensive literature review, the general concept of personal growth initiative in

behavioral science perspective was presented. It was through readings and insights from vari-

ous secondary sources that discuss this variable that the following results were derived. The

sources where these information were culled from are combination of local and foreign re-

searches that provide both review of theories and concepts as well as review of related studies.

The sections of the results from the secondary sources involve sub-sections such as Personal

Growth Initiative, Readiness for Change, Planfulness, Using Resources and Intentional Behav-

ior.

Personal Growth Initiative

It was clearly defined in the study of Kaur and Singh (2017) that “personal growth is a

change within a person that is cognitive, behavioral or affective. Normally, such transformation

is thought of as positive for becoming more complete and fully functioning form the perspective

of the person who is undergoing such transformation. Personal growth can be defined as the

subjective experience of change, in behaviors, thoughts and feelings which in turn experienced

as adaptive. Such change might take form as a greater mastery of one’s everyday environment

or it might arise as greater resilience in the face of obstacles and challenges”.

The same study cited the landmark definition provided by Robitschek regarding the

same concept being it “comprising of goals and accomplishments that encourage or prompt in-

dividuals to improve in one or other area of life. It is a continuous improvement process. Per-

sonal growth or self-guided improvement is an insight that starts from within, help to move for -

ward in life and produced personal change. The word initiative is derived from the word initiate

meaning to start something new. When one shows his initiative, he or she tries things out. Ac-

5
cordingly, when a person is concerned only with intentional self-change, that individual actively

and intenyionally engages in the self-change process in any life domain, the term is generally

known as Personal Growth Initiative. Such personal growth initiative is an active, intentional en-

gagement in the process of personal growth and in changing and developing as a person. On

top of this, it was delineated as an acquired skill set for self-improvement across life domains.” It

is comprised of the four components such as the following:

Readiness for Change. It is the ability to assess one’s own psychological prepare-

ness to engage in personal growth processes.

Planfulness. It is referred to the ability to be strategic and organized in self-change

efforts.

Using Resources. It is concentrated on the ability to identify and access resources

external to the self, such as other people and materials.

Intentional Behavior. It is the actual follow-through or doing of self-change plans

and behaviors.

Discussing on the same theory, these four components operate synergistically, rather

than sequentially, to optimize personal growth. Personal Growth Initiative is correlated with

many variables like psychological well-being, career exploration, family functioning, parental al-

coholism, mental health and self-efficacy.

According Jurica (2014) “personal growth can be stimulated by developmental, environ-

mental, or intentional processes. In the developmental domain, growth or change typically oc-

curs outside an individual’s awareness. When engendered by the environmental stressors, per-

6
sonal growth occurs with an individual's awareness, but is catalyzed by an external event, and

the individual may resist some of the changes that occur. Finally, personal growth that results

from intentional processes occurs when the individual is cognizant of the positive changes and

is an active part of the process.”

Furthermore, personal growth is identified as “an integral part of the eudemonic perspec-

tive of well-being, and promoting personal growth in various life domains is tantamount to under-

standing and promoting holistic well-being. Furthermore, personal growth involves self- improve-

ment, achievement of self-knowledge, and actualization of potential in various life domains,

which is a core part of the eudemonic outlook. Personal growth has been examined as an out-

come in its own right, as an indicator of and contributor to well-being, and as a continuing

process.”

Meanwhile, Robischek et. al., (2012) discussed Personal Growth Initiative (PGI) as one

that refers to “a future-looking perspective in which individuals believe they will be able to im-

prove themselves. It involves a desire to engage in growth, a perceived ability to recognize the

resources required, and a particular plan that will allow the individual to realize their personal

growth goals, and is a paramount expression of eudemonia. Unlike other growth scales and

constructs that focus on the amount individuals passively perceive their growth, personal growth

initiative examines an individual’s active interest in self-improvement. In addition, other con-

structs examine personal growth as an outcome, whereas personal growth initiative focuses on

personal growth as a process. PGI is a metacognitive construct indicating an intentional en-

gagement in growth-inducing thoughts and behaviors in all life domains.”

Accordingly, most research on personal growth initiative has been conducted using the

uni- dimensional personal growth initiative scale. Although it measured the elements that con-

7
tributed to personal growth initiative, it did not demarcate the different elements. A recently de-

veloped version of the scale is multi- dimensional, examining the components of personal

growth. The four parts of the Personal Growth Initiative Scale-II coincide with the multifaceted

conceptualization of personal growth initiative. The first dimension, planfulness, assesses the

extent to which a person feels that she or he is capable of understanding and planning the

process of growth. The second dimension, readiness for change, measures an individual’s pre-

paredness for making changes that would result in personal growth. The third dimension is in-

tentional behavior, which involves conscious behavioral modifications aimed at personal devel-

opment and realizing potential. Finally, using resources involves the willingness and capacity to

utilize external resources as part of the improvement process. This last dimension did not fit

other theories of personal growth, but suggested that the ability to seek out and utilize help may

be an important part of growth. Planfulness and readiness for change assess the cognitive ele-

ments of PGI, while intentional behavior and using resources capture the behavioral facets of

the construct. The PGIS-II is anticipated to correlate with the same variables as the PGI due to

conceptual similarities.

Personal Growth Initiative has been associated with many positive outcomes. PGI is “re-

lated to elements of psychological well-being, including heightened self-acceptance and per-

sonal growth. It also is related to increased positive affect and decreased negative affect and in-

creased satisfaction with life. It has also been associated with positive adaptability, including

problem-focused coping and lowered trait anxiety. Because it is future-oriented, it is related to

hope and optimism. It is a mediator between achievement recognition and life satisfaction, sug-

gesting that recognition may promote personal growth initiative, which then produces life satis-

faction (Weigold et al., 2013).”

8
 According to Marianne and Meyers (2019), personal growth is “not only a central individ-

ual need but also a key requirement for organizational success. Nevertheless, workplace inter-

ventions aimed at stimulating the personal growth of employees are still scarce. In their study,

they investigated the effectiveness of an intervention that aimed at the identification, develop-

ment, and use of employee strengths in stimulating personal growth initiative. They conducted a

field experiment with a sample of 84 educational professionals who were either assigned to a

strengths intervention or a wait-list control group. In a 1-month follow-up study, they found that

the intervention had a direct effect on general self-efficacy (GSE) and an indirect effect on per-

sonal growth initiative. Moreover, in line with plasticity theory they found that the intervention

was especially effective for participants with low to medium initial levels of GSE. They conclude

that a strengths intervention may provide a brief and effective tool for organizations that aim for

self-directed learning among their staff, in particular when offered to employees who lack confi-

dence in their own abilities.”

Supplemental and parallel to these, Thoen and Robitschek (2013) asserted that per-

sonal growth initiative also “mediated the relationship between presence of calling and work

hope, which fits with prior research linking calling and personal growth initiative to hope. Per-

sonal growth initiative may include the expectation that intentional efforts to improve oneself will

allow the individual to realize self-improvement, as it is related to self-efficacy. When applied to

vocational development, personal growth initiative may be closely related to the belief that ef-

forts in the work domain will engender a career that fits with one’s values.” This coincides with

research linking self-efficacy in work domains to positive outcomes, which is a key element of

social cognitive-career theory that suggests self-efficacy is an integral part of career goals de-

velopment and career performance.

9
 Personal growth can be “stimulated by developmental, environmental, or intentional pro-

cesses. In the developmental domain, growth or change typically occurs without the knowledge

or awareness of the individual. For example, a child develops a more complex form of moral

reasoning without being aware that this is occurring. When prompted by environmental factors,

personal growth can occur with the individual's awareness but despite the individual's resistance

to this growth. People who have recently been widowed might be aware that increased self-suf-

ficiency will be a result of this situation but might be resistant to this change because they view it

as a betrayal of their deceased spouse. Finally, when personal growth is due to intentional pro-

cesses, the individual is fully aware that change is occurring and is actively and willingly in-

volved in the process.” For example, people who are dissatisfied with their vocational choice

might actively engage in self-exploration to find a better fit within the world of work

(Robertschek, 2012).

Moreover, “when the individual is fully aware of and intentionally engaged in the process

of growth, that is what was referred to as "intentional change" and described it as a process

that can occur within and without psychotherapy. They also discussed the stages of this inten-

tional change process and highlighted the importance of recognizing which stage an individual

is in, because that should suggest appropriate ways to facilitate movement in the change

process. Elsewhere, these authors demonstrated that mechanisms for change are similar in

both therapy-assisted and self-initiated growth and across types of problems. This suggests that

the intentional process of personal growth and change can be taught to clients so that it can be

used repeatedly in an individual's life. In fact, it was indicated that one of the primary goals of

counseling is to enhance clients' knowledge of the change process and increase their skills in

implementing specific mechanisms for growth. They specifically stated that in counseling, "Suc-

cessful termination occurs when clients are better prepared to continue their self-change ef-

forts”. One important reason to teach clients the process of change and personal growth is that

10
most people will encounter new challenges, transitions, and experiences throughout their lives,

and they need to be prepared to cope with and adapt to these new circumstances. Self-efficacy

theory would suggest that those individuals who are most prepared to deal with change through-

out the life span are those with high levels of self-efficacy for the domain of personal growth and

change.”

An alternative conceptualization is that “the individuals most prepared to deal with

change throughout the life span are those with a high level of intentionality in the growth

process. DeCarvalho posited that people who are aware of and intentionally engaged in the

process-of-becoming will perceive choices when confronted with environmental pressures. In

addition, they will be able to follow through on these perceptions of choice, to actively choose

the ways in which they will grow.”

The term PGI describes this active, intentional engagement in the process of personal

growth. PGI encompasses the cognitive components of self-efficacy, including beliefs, attitudes,

and values that support personal growth. For example, an individual might think, "I know how to

change specific things that I want to change in my life," which is an efficacy expectation, that is,

a part of self-efficacy. PGI, however, is broader than self-efficacy in that it includes behavioral

components as well, which involve implementing these cognitions across growth domains. In

other words, the behavioral components put into practice the cognitions related to personal

growth: for example, "If I want to change something in my life, I initiate the transition process.”

PGI also encompasses Prochaska and DiClemente’s Preparation stage. This stage "in-

dicates a readiness to change which encompasses both attitude and behavior. Whereas Prepa-

ration is a readiness to change a specific behavior or set of behaviors, PGI is an orientation to-

ward change and growth across life domains.” PGI can be thought of as a metacognitive con-

11
struct, an awareness and control of intentional engagement in growth-enhancing cognitions and

behaviors in all areas of life.

Readiness for Change

Combe (2014) defined readiness for change as “a measure of confidence, backed by

defensible data and information. This concept acknowledges that readiness is a perception, and

is measured both by judgment and by more structurally sound data (subjective and objective ob-

servation). Being change ready does not require an organization achieve an ideal state. Change

readiness is measured in degrees toward a desired target that will supply sufficient capability

that varies in proportion to distance from the goal state. Change readiness takes into account a

compilation of multiple viewpoints to assess not only whether various audiences feel confident

in making the change, but also to establish root causes of discomfort. Change readiness is car-

ried out through both assessment and decisions/actions based on the assessment. As such, it

goes beyond helpful knowledge and assumes action derived from that knowledge. Change

readiness takes a critical look at the organization's resolve, fit and capacity to successfully de-

liver the benefits of a proposed program or project, and initiates appropriate actions to bring a

current state of readiness to one of confidence in long-term success of the program/project out-

comes.”

According to the proposition of Robitschek et al. (2012), PGI is composed of a cognitive

dimension, recognized in the “Readiness for change” and “Planfulness” factors, and a behav-

ioral dimension, identified in the “Using Resources” and “Intentional Behavior” factors. The

“Readiness for Change” refers to the ability of the individual to identify or create situations with

the potential to promote personal growth. The “planfulness” factor can be comprehended as a

person’s ability to organize strategies to facilitate their personal development. The “Intentional

12
Behavior” factor, in turn, evaluates the disposition and personal motivation to achieve the goals

established for personal change. The “Us- ing Resources” factor covers the use of personal and

external resources (e.g. help from others) in the promotion of personal growth (Robitschek et

al., 2012). This is the only factor of PGI that encompasses the interpersonal dimension of indi-

viduals, which relates differently with the other factors of PGI (Robitschek et al., 2012; Weigold

et al., 2013a).

Change management experts have emphasized the importance of establishing organi-

zational readiness for change and recommended various strategies for creating it. “Although the

advice seems reasonable, the scientific basis for it is limited. Unlike individual readiness for

change, organizational readiness for change has not been subject to extensive theoretical de-

velopment or empirical study. In this article, I conceptually define organizational readiness for

change and develop a theory of its determinants and outcomes. I focus on the organizational

level of analysis because many promising approaches to improving healthcare delivery entail

collective behavior change in the form of systems redesign--that is, multiple, simultaneous

changes in staffing, work flow, decision making, communication, and reward systems (Weiner,

2009).”

It was established in the same article that “organizational readiness for change is consid-

ered a critical precursor to the successful implementation of complex changes in healthcare set-

tings. Indeed, some suggest that failure to establish sufficient readiness accounts for one-half of

all unsuccessful, large-scale organizational change efforts. Drawing on Lewin’s three-stage

model of change, change management experts have prescribed various strategies to create

readiness by 'unfreezing' existing mindsets and creating motivation for change. These strategies

include highlighting the discrepancy between current and desired performance levels, fomenting

dissatisfaction with the status quo, creating an appealing vision of a future state of affairs, and

13
fostering confidence that this future state can be achieved. While this advice seems reasonable

and useful, the scientific basis for these recommendations is limited. Unlike individual readiness

for change, organizational readiness for change has not been subject to extensive empirical

study. Unfortunately, simply calling for more research will not do. As two recently published re-

views indicate, most publicly available instruments for measuring organizational readiness for

change exhibit limited evidence of reliability or validity. At a more basic level, these reviews re-

veal conceptual ambiguity about the meaning of organizational readiness for change and little

theoretically grounded discussion of the determinants or outcomes of organizational readiness.

In the absence of theoretical clarification and exploration of these issues, efforts to advance

measurement, produce cumulative knowledge, and inform practice will likely remain stalled.”

Rafferty (2019) cited five cognitive beliefs as critical targets of any communication efforts

about change. “The same author explicitly identified these beliefs as the most proximal an-

tecedents of the change readiness attitude. Early definitions of discrepancy identified this belief

as reflecting a perceived need for change. Later discussion acknowledged that a sense of dis-

crepancy emerges from a recognition that there is a difference between the current state and a

desired future state. In contrast, Holt, Armenakis, Harris, and Feild (2017) suggest that discrep-

ancy involves a recognition that change is based on legitimate reasons. In summary, a number

of different aspects of the discrepancy belief have been identified and we include these different

aspects in our definition of this construct. Thus, we define discrepancy as a belief that change is

based on legitimate reasons and is needed to address a deficiency in the current state relative

to a desired future state.”

The second change belief that has been identified is appropriateness. defined this as an

“individual’s belief that a change is an appropriate response to organizational issues and this

definition has been consistently adopted in later works. The third belief is change self-efficacy.

14
Armenakis and Harris argue that efficacy refers to an individual’s perceived capability to imple-

ment a change initiative. Change self-efficacy has been consistently defined as an individual’s

confidence that s/he has the capability to implement a change.”

Principal support refers to “the provision of support from a range of organizational lead-

ers including formal and informal leaders or change agents and opinion leaders. A review of re-

search reveals, however, that both formal organizational leaders and one’s peers can influence

change attitudes and reactions to change. Therefore, they argue that it is important to recognize

different sources of support. Thus, we define principal support as an individual’s belief that sup-

port is provided by formal organizational leaders such as senior leaders and immediate supervi-

sors as well as one’s peers (Sonenshein & Dholakia, 2012).”

The valence belief has been consistently defined as “an individual’s belief that change

has intrinsic and extrinsic benefits. Holt, Armenakis, Harris, et al. (2017) also argued that per-

sonal valence addresses the perceived benefits of a change for an individual. In contrast, orga-

nizational valence captures employees’ perceptions of the benefits that change will bring for the

company as a whole.”

Attitude researchers have defined the affective aspect of an attitude as the “emotions

and drives that are engendered by a specific attitude object. Rafferty et al. (2013) argued that

the affective component of change readiness should be assessed by discrete emotion items

that capture an individual’s positive emotions concerning a specific change event. The study fo-

cused on discrete positive emotions that occur in response change including happiness, excite-

ment, and pride. Similarly, on the basis of interviews with staff experiencing change, Kiefer

(2012) reported that employees experienced a number of positive emotions about change in-

cluding enjoyment, pleasure, delight, curiosity, enthusiasm, and pride.”

15
Planfulness

Theoretically defined, planfulness, according to Ludwig et al. (2019) “as a state of having

a set of actions that tend to create a roadmap or direction based on pre-determined objectives

or goals. Establishing reliable predictors of health behavior is a goal of health psychology. A rel-

evant insight from personality psychology is that facets can predict specific behaviors better

than broad traits do. They hypothesized that they could predict physical activity with a facet of

conscientiousness related to goal pursuit—planfulness. They measured the relationship be-

tween planfulness Scale scores and physical activity in 282 individuals over a total of 20 weeks,

using a piecewise latent growth curve model. They additionally tested whether planfulness

uniquely relates to activity when compared with related constructs. Finally, ratings of partici-

pants’ written goals were correlated with these personality traits and physical activity. They

found that planfulness was positively associated with average visits to a recreational center, that

planfulness explained unique variance in activity, and that planfulness correlated with the de-

scriptiveness of written goals. They conclude that the planfulness Scale is a valid measurement

uniquely suited to predicting goal achievement.”

The investigation tested the fundamental assumption that a subjective future, as opera-

tionalized by the ideational construct of planfulness and the reality dimension of planning, is

positively of planfulness and the reality dimension of planning, is positively correlated with se-

lected psychological variables. A sample of 192 women religious from Northeastern Ohio in the

age bracket 40-65 was selected for the study. The research question guiding the investigation

was "Do the psychological variables identified by Career Consciousness Theory, as relevant,

predict career thought and behavior in mid-life?" The six psychological variables and their corre-

sponding measures were creativity as measured by The Adjective Check List; continuity as

measured by the Long-Term Personal Direction Scale of the Temporal Experience Scale; opti-

16
mism as measured by the Achievability of Future Goals subscale of the Future Time Perspec-

tive Inventory; internal locus of control as measured by the Internal-External locus of Control

Scale; self-confidence as measured by the Self-Confidence Subscale from the Hase Experi-

mental Scale; and self-consciousness as measured by the Self-Consciousness Scale. The two

dimensions of subjective future used were planfulness as measured by the Adult Career Con-

cerns Inventory and planning as measured by Occupational Plans Questionnaire. Further analy-

sis was conducted on three subscales of the Adult Career Concerns Inventory.

Using Resources

Using resources as determined by on the ability to identify and access resources exter-

nal to the self, such as other people and materials. “Such utilization of materials are essentially

comprising decisions that highly depend on the purpose and objectives set by an individual.

This sub-variable of personal growth initiative is said to be concurrent with planfulness as it

shows relatively high correlation and interdependence between these two. Essentially, using re-

sources is outcomes-based as it can be measured by how such people and materials are allo-

cated effectively and efficiently to carry out the plan (Jurica, 2014).”

The skills present in using resources are also “associated with the person’s ability to

evaluate adverse and stressful situations as challenges and opportunities for personal growth,

so that they experience lower levels of stress when coping with the- se situations (Weigold &

Robitschek, 2011; Yakunina et al., 2013b). Furthermore, readiness for change and using re-

sources may intensify the individual’s search for new experi- ences that contribute to their per-

sonal development. The possibility of experiencing a variety of situations enhances the chances

of people strengthening their social and emotional support network, as well as experiencing

positive situations more frequently compared to individuals with low PGI indices. These relation-

17
ships demonstrate the impact of the PGI skills on evaluations of the experiences faced by indi-

viduals, showing that PGI can also be comprehended as a personal resource.”

According to the framer of Personal Growth Initiative theory, “individuals who have high

levels of the readiness for change, planfulness, intentional behavior, and using resources di-

mensions of PGI may have a greater potential to identify or create opportunities that enable and

intensify their positive personal development. People with high levels of PGI adapt better to dif-

ferent situations, overcome stressful situations, have higher levels of life satisfaction, and seek

appropriate solutions to the situations faced. High PGI indices are also positively related to posi-

tive affect and negatively to anxiety, depression and negative affect.”

Intentional Behavior

According to Encyclopedia of Human Behavior (Second Edition), 2012, “intentional be-

havior occurs when a person consciously or unconsciously tries to bring about a particular con-

sequence. It is the behaviour that has the appearance of being intentional or purposive. Inten-

tion movements are incomplete behaviour patterns that provide potential information. Essen-

tially, it is a characteristic of an individual's acts that requires the individual (a) to have goals, de-

sires, and standards; (b) to select behaviors that are in the service of attaining the goal (e.g.,

means to an end); and (c) to call into conscious awareness a desired future state.”

The intentional behavior dimension was “positively related to exploration in breadth and

exploration in depth. Furthermore, the exploration in breadth identity process totally mediated

the relationship of the readiness for change dimension with the indices of self-esteem and de-

pression. The ruminative exploration identity process partially mediated the relationship of using

resources and inten- tional behavior with self-esteem and depression. Finally, the processes of

18
exploration in breadth and ruminative explora- tion partially mediated the relationships of plan-

fulness with the levels of self-esteem and depression (Luyckx & Robitschek, 2014).”

The “PGI dimensions (readiness for change, planfulness, using resources, and inten-

tional behavior) were positively and highly associated with personal resources, like self- effi-

cacy. The PGI dimensions present- ed positive and moderate correlations with variables related

to personal growth. Furthermore, results showed that the readiness for change, planfulness, us-

ing resources, and intentional behavior presented positive associations of low magnitude with

well-being related constructs, such as psychological, social and emotional well-being (Sharma &

Rani, 2014). The negative relations between PGI dimensions and external variables presented

low magnitude, as can be observed between depressive symptoms and ruminative exploration.”

The intervention developed by Thoen and Robitschek (2013) was “directed toward uni-

versity students. In this study an experimental design was used to investigate the impact of the

intervention. For this, the participants were randomly assigned to four conditions: a) psychoedu-

cation regarding PGI and activities for personal growth; b) reading of a text about storms and

activities for personal growth; psychoeducation regarding PGI and family activity; c) reading a

text about storms and family activity. The four conditions of the intervention were individ- ually

developed over the course of one week. Participants completed the questionnaires at the begin-

ning and end of the study, with the period of one week between the applications.”

It was proven that “people with high levels of PGI are protected against psychological

distress by perceiving stressors as opportunities for growth and seeing themselves as capable

of making positive changes. Because PGI is a prerequisite for becoming a self-directed learner,

it should be a strategic imperative for organizations that require their workers to continuously

update their knowledge and skills. Nevertheless, research on personal growth in the organiza-

19
tional context has been sparse and little is known about how PGI can be developed. Most devel-

opmental processes in organizations are based on a deficit model in which a person’s weak-

nesses are seen as their greatest opportunity for development. However, advancements in the

field of positive psychology have inspired scholars to advocate the benefits of identifying and us-

ing individual strengths as a pathway to further development (van Woerkom et al., 2016).”

Finally, it was identified by Weigold (2013) that “one promising antecedent of optimal

functioning is personal growth initiative (PGI), which is the active and intentional desire to grow

as a person. PGI theory and its measure, the personal growth initiative scale, have consistently

shown positive relations with optimal functioning and growth. Recently, the PGI theory and its

measure have been revised to account for theoretical advances. Consequently, testing of the

revised theory and measure is needed to assess their capacity to predict psychological function-

ing and growth. The current study examined 2 tenets of PGI theory in a sample of college stu-

dents. Results indicated that 3 of the 4 factors of PGI were positively related to psychological

well-being and negatively related to aspects of psychological distress. In addition, the same 3

factors were related to growth in a salient domain (vocational identity development) and ex-

plained variance beyond that accounted for by more stable personality traits. Individual

strengths can be defined as specific individual characteristics, traits, and abilities that, when em-

ployed, are energizing and allow a person to perform at his or her personal best. Most strengths

researchers agree that strengths are moderately stable characteristics that are (at least partly)

anchored in genes but can be developed by practice and the accumulation of related knowledge

and skills. Furthermore, Peterson and Seligman propose a range of positive effects of using

these strengths, among others, feelings of competence, efficacy, and mastery, and rapid learn-

ing curves. However, strengths theory does not yet propose how rapid learning curves come

about, and what the mechanisms are in accomplishing these effects. In fact, two systematic re-

20
views of empirical strengths intervention research conclude that there still is a lack of knowledge

regarding the mediating mechanisms that explain the effectiveness of these interventions.”

Conclusions

The current literature review which presented most recent developments in the base of

knowledge for personal growth initiative was based on researches done in the past 10 years

covering 2011-2021, unless it is the landmark or theoretical basis like those of Robitschek’s

which was used as original device for the information cited by contemporary researchers.

It was identified that personal growth initiative is characterized by the skills of individuals

to intentionally seek opportunities to mature and realize personal changes that will enable their

positive development. The results of the studies analyzed in this review indicated that PGI plays

a crucial role for individuals to experience increased levels of well-being, develop themselves

positively and adapt to adverse situations. Moreover, such concept was deemed to be that of a

subjective experience of change, in behaviors, thoughts and feelings which in turn experienced

as adaptive. Such change might take form as a greater mastery of one’s everyday environment

or it might arise as greater resilience in the face of obstacles and challenges.

The personal growth initiative has four (4) tenets or constructs which are essentially op-

erating synergistically, rather than sequentially. The rationale for the same based on the review

is to optimize the level of personal growth of an individual by allowing him or her to utilize the

benefits of the initiative factors altogether to achieve the positively changed behavior that he or

she desires. The four tenets or constructs have been defined well in the literature and there are

proven significant relationships among these four. These were Readiness for Change, Planful-

ness, Using Resources and Intentional Behavior. Accordingly, readiness for change is the ability

21
to assess one’s own psychological prepareness to engage in personal growth processes. Plan-

fulness is the ability to be strategic and organized in self-change efforts. Using Resources is the

ability to identify and access resources external to the self, such as other people and materials.

Finally, intentional behavior. It is the actual follow-through or doing of self-change plans and be-

haviors.

Recommendations

From the conclusions derived from the literature review, the current researcher puts for-

ward the following recommendations and points for improvement for the various prospective

stakeholder groups of the review:

For Students and Youth. While much is expected from them, it is recommended by the

researcher to make use of the benefits of making a synchrony of the four tenets or constructs of

personal growth initiative to see a positively changed behavior in a gradual and natural process.

It is also recommended to seek advice from others to know how to improve their behavior and

use baselining to visualize acceptable forms of behavior.

For Educators. It is recommended for educators in the field of Psychology and Behav-

ioral Science to make use of the theory as examples in illustrating the various concepts and

principles in the study of various branches of Psychology. They may get information regarding

relationships of the variables from this literature review to share them with their students and al-

low them to propose the rights questions for their enhanced learning experience.

For Future Researchers. It is suggested to future researchers who will be working on

the same topic or similar agenda to consult from more local sources to provide a more extensive

discussion in the Philippine context. Such initiative may also be improved by comparing such lo-

22
cal literature from foreign ones to analyze if there are concerns on locality and applicability of

the empirical findings.

23
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