The Role of Goal Setting and Goal Striving in Medical Adherence.

From a motivational-volitional perspective, a first prerequisite for med~ ical adherence is that people walk away from a health care provider (or from medical instructions obtained elsewhere) with a strong intention (goal) to act on the advice or instructions given. Second, and equally important, people need to effectively translate their goals into action, not only right after the advice has been given but also weeks and months thereafter. What facilitates the setting of adherence goals, and what guarantees acting on them? In this chapter we try to answer both of these questions, starting with the issue of goal setting and continuing with the problem of goal implementation. More specifically, we outline self~regulatorystrategies that help people set adherence goals and attain them.