Personal Growth Initiative and Its Psychosocial Correlates across Populations: A Systematic Review and Pathways for Future Research

Personal Growth Initiative (PGI), a cognitive and behavioural skill set to nurture intentional
growth, is perceived to be significant throughout life. Although PGI has received
growing attention, findings on its psychosocial correlates remain scattered and inconsistent.
This review aimed to systematically examine the associations between PGI, as
a multidimensional construct, and psychosocial factors across diverse research populations.
By offering a comprehensive overview, it sought to enhance the understanding of
PGI within the broader context of positive psychological functioning and offer insights
into the dynamics of PGI across the life course. A literature search using predefined
search terms was conducted across several databases for studies with a quantitative
design that employed the 16-item Personal Growth Initiative Scale-II and were published
in English-language peer-reviewed journals. The Quality Assessment for Survey
Studies in Psychology was adjusted to assess the quality of the included studies. A
total of 49 studies examined 84 psychosocial factors, which were classified within the
biopsychosocial model. Findings confirm that PGI is linked to both adaptive and maladaptive
psychosocial outcomes. However, these results pertain mainly to investigations
in student populations. To date, the evidence remains inconclusive due to four critical
research gaps in PGI literature. Future research should therefore address these gaps by
narrowing the focus on psychosocial factors, employing longitudinal study designs with
more diverse research samples, and utilising a consistent measurement of PGI.