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Abstract
The past decade has given rise to an increasing interest in relationships between goal setting and depression. Significant relationships have been identified between goal type, goal framing, goal difficulty and goal organisation, and depressive experiences. The present paper explores individuals' motivations controlling goal setting and their relationship to rumination and depression. Findings indicate that whilst some individuals make their personal well-being conditional upon general life achievements, others make the achievement of only one or two specific goals a prerequisite for personal happiness. This specific process has been named Conditional Goal Setting (CGS). Findings suggest that CGS is significantly related to depression. This relationship appears to be mediated by rumination with CGS of achievement goals but not CGS of relationship goals. Findings are discussed with reference to current goals and depression research.