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Professional self-concept of nurses: a comparative study of four strata of nursing students in a Canadian university.

This study represents an effort to refine our understanding of measurement of professional self-concept by testing a tool across various strata of nursing students. The Professional Self Concept of Nurses Instrument, developed in studies of Australian nursing students, was applied to samples of basic undergraduate, post-basic and graduate students in a Canadian university nursing programme. The findings suggest that the tool is sensitive to the predictable development of professional self-concept as students advance through professional education, especially in the dimensions of professional practice and satisfaction. The authors propose that the instrument may have specific applications in evaluating the effects of traditional and innovative educational strategies upon the evolution of professional self-concept in nurses.

Analysis of Variance↗

The organizational properties of the self-concept and instability of affect.

Affect instability, a core symptom of several major mental illnesses, contributes to high levels of subjective distress and impaired self-care abilities. The findings of previous studies have shown that, in asymptomatic samples, the organizational properties of the self-concept impact short-term affect regulation. In this study, that work is extended to examine the association between the organizational properties of the self-concept and instability of affect in adults with a major mental illness. Subjects were 19 adults with a major mental illness (clinical) and 10 asymptomatic adults. Zajonc's card-sorting task was used to measure two organizational properties: (a) differentiation--the number of attributes included in the self-concept, and (b) unity--the degree of interdependence among the attributes. An experience sampling procedure was used to obtain 50 measures of affect across a 10-day period. The clinical group experienced more instability of negative affects than the asymptomatic group. Furthermore, the clinical group had lower differentiation and higher unity of the self-concept than the asymptomatic controls, although both organizational properties were related to education. In the total sample, differentiation was not related to instability of affect. Unity accounted for 21% of the variance in instability of negative affect.

Adult↗

Ethnicity, gender, and academic self-concept: a preliminary examination of academic disidentification and implications for psychologists.

This study examined data from 358 African American students and 229 European American students to determine if the phenomenon of academic disidentification occurred. Analyses revealed that among African American male students, the relationship between academic self-concept and grade point average (GPA) significantly decreased, whereas the relationship between academic self-concept, self-esteem, and GPA significantly increased for European American female students. The relationship between academic self-concept and GPA remained significant for African American female and European American male students. Research and counseling implications are discussed.

Achievement↗

[Effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving the self concept of second to sixth grade students].

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention in improving the general, academic, physical and social self-concepts of 2nd to 6th grade students. The activities were carried out by the teachers during the 1992-93 school year. A questionnaire was completed by 271 students of the experimental school and by 467 students of the control school, both before and after the intervention. The multiple regression analyses showed important adjusted gains for self-concepts related to physical appearance, mathematics and relationship with parents. In all three cases, students with the largest deficit benefitted most from the intervention. This study shows that it is possible to improve self-concept and to do so through an intervention carried out in the school environment. This double finding is important to the promotion of psycho-social adaptation since self-concept is an important determinant and since few interventions have reached similar objectives.

Body Image↗

Self-concept measures and childhood obesity: a descriptive analysis.

Little is known about the possible effects of age, race, gender, or degree of obesity on measurements of self-concept in children. Our study of 130 obese children enrolled in an outpatient obesity clinic showed that their mean overall score on the Piers-Harris (P-H) Children's Self-Concept Scale was within the norms. However, certain subgroups scored low, with nonwhite children displaying the lowest self-esteem, particularly younger girls and adolescent males. For boys, the severity of obesity was inversely associated with the overall score and the intellectual school status subscale. Girls scored lower on anxiety. Younger white males scored the lowest on popularity. Our findings thus suggest that there is heterogeneity in self-concept measures among obese children, and that the use of subscales might provide greater insight and also possibly enhance sensitivity of the P-H in the investigation of obesity and self-concept.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Neuropsychology and the self-concept.

The biological basis of the self is discussed in relation to neuropsychological findings in cases with focal brain injury. This material demonstrates that the self is deposited at an early phase in the process of object realization and distributes into the private space of imagery and the external space of object perception. A disruption or truncation of this process results in an erosion of the self that is similar across the different perceptual modalities. From the pattern of pathological breakdown, it is concluded that the self is a categorical, relational entity that achieves autonomy in the context of an act of cognition that is fully derived, i.e., actualizes completely. The autonomy depends on the completeness of this derivation. The preliminary locus of the self in the mental state entails a holistic or multimodal phase of potential before perceptual individuation. The relation of the self-concept to antecedent phases in the microgenesis of a cognition, the relation to feeling, personal history, and the immediate past, points to a limbic transition in the outward development of the mental state.

Cognition↗

Sexuality and self-concept: issues in skin disease.

Self-concept is closely tied to feelings of sexuality. Therefore, comprehensive nursing care of patients with skin disorders should include sexuality issues. This article addresses methods of assessment and a variety of interventions in dealing with sexuality and skin disease.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Self-concept, sexual knowledge and attitudes, and parental support in the sexual adjustment of women with early- and late-onset physical disability.

Three groups of college women were compared on the following dimensions: sexual experiences, sexual satisfaction, self-concept, sexual attitudes and knowledge, and parental support for sexual development. Groups were composed of women with late-onset physical disability, early-onset physical disability, and no disability. Measures utilized included an extension of the Sexual Interaction Inventory, the Tennessee Self-Concept Inventory, the Sexual Knowledge and Attitude Test, and questionnaires developed for this study. The early-onset group reported fewer current sexual experiences than did the nondisabled group. The early-onset group was dissatisfied with the frequency of sexual behavior to a greater degree than the nondisabled group. Also, both disabled groups believed that they could enjoy sexual experiences more than they did at present in contrast to the nondisabled group. There were no group differences for self-concept, though several aspects of self-concept contributed significantly to sexual adjustment for the disabled groups. No group differences were found for sexual knowledge and attitudes or parental support for sexual development, nor did these variables relate to sexual adjustment. Group differences in sexual adjustment are discussed in terms of functional, emotional, and social implications. Recommendations for further research include following the social development of women with late-onset conditions, comparing the social skills and cognitions of the two disabled groups, and assessing men who have established intimate relationships with disabled women.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Big Brothers: impact on Little Brothers' self-concepts and behaviors.

The impact a Big Brother has on a Little Brother's self-concept and behavior was examined for 45 boys ages 7 to 15. The Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America is a United Way agency dedicated to supplying children from single-parent homes with an adult volunteer of the same sex. The adult serves as a friend and role model for the child. Boys who were matched (n = 23) with a Big Brother were compared to boys who were unmatched (n = 22) but were on a waiting list to receive a Big Brother. All boys completed a self-concept measure, and their mothers completed a checklist regarding the behavior of her child. Results indicated that boys who had a Big Brother reported significantly higher self-concepts than did those who were unmatched. Scores on the behavioral instrument did not yield significant differences between groups. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Adolescent↗

[Self-concept related information processing in relation to perceived personal ability].

Cognitive self-schemata are conceived of as being generalized representations about the self which have been derived from previous experiences and the evaluations of these experiences. Self-schemata organize and guide the processing of self-related information. An experiment investigating such processing of self-related information in relation to perceived own ability--the self-concept of ability--as a variant of cognitive self-schemata is reported. Subjects with varying levels of self-concept of ability are requested to judge ability-related adjectives with regard to the self. The results indicate that those individuals with high perceived own ability judge adjectives which are consistent with this self-perception significantly faster and more frequently as being self-descriptive than adjectives which are inconsistent with this self-perception. Individuals with low perceived own ability do not differ in response latency and percentage of words judged as being either self-descriptive or not. Overall the results confirm only the assumption that individuals with high perceived own ability--but not individuals with low perceived own ability--possess ability-consistent cognitive self-schemata.

Aptitude↗

The divided self: concurrent and longitudinal effects of psychological adjustment and social roles on self-concept differentiation.

The relation between self-concept differentiation (SCD), the tendency to see oneself as having different personality characteristics in different social roles, and psychological adjustment was examined in a sample of college students and a sample of middle-aged women. In both studies, Ss with high levels of SCD showed poor emotional adjustment (e.g., depression) and tended to reject social norms and conventions (e.g., low socialization). Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that these same characteristics measured at age 21 predicted SCD measured more than 30 years later in middle age. These findings provide strong evidence that SCD is a sign of fragmentation of the self rather than specialization of role identities. The social context was also an important determinant of SCD; both dissatisfaction with role performance and frequent role changes in relationships and jobs predicted SCD measured 9 years later.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

A systematic review of the self-concept of children with cerebral palsy compared with children without disability.

Young people with cerebral palsy (CP) are often assumed to have low self-concept, in other words, they do not feel good about themselves. We systematically searched the literature to determine whether this assumption was supported by empirical research. Relevant trials were identified by searching electronic databases, and this was supplemented by citation tracking. Of 1355 papers initially identified, six met the criteria for review. Results showed that adolescent females with CP have a lower self-concept than females without disability in the domains of physical appearance (d = -1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.06 to -0.26); social acceptance (d = -1.24; 95% CI -2.15 to -0.33); athletic competence (d = -0.93; 95% CI -1.79 to -0.07); and scholastic competence (d = -0.86; 95% CI, -1.71 to -0.01). Adolescent females with CP may be an at-risk group owing to their vulnerable self-concept. Clinicians may need to monitor and implement appropriate intervention strategies with this group. There was insufficient evidence to conclude that children with CP, in general, have a lower global self-concept compared with those without disability.

Adolescent↗

Maternal-fetal attachment in relation to self-concept and anxiety.

This study investigates the association that maternal-fetal attachment has with self-concept, state anxiety, and trait anxiety. One hundred third trimester pregnant women attending prenatal classes were studied. Data were collected by using three psychometric instruments: Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale, the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The findings do not show a significant relationship between the overall level of maternal-fetal attachment and self-concept. The findings do show significant inverse correlations between state (temporary) anxiety and the overall Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale. An inverse but non-significant relationship between maternal-fetal attachment and overall scores representing trait (long-term) anxiety was found. The study failed to demonstrate the strong association between anxiety and maternal-fetal attachment described by other theorists. The author speculates that the chosen instrument does not adequately differentiate between the mother's anxieties regarding self and those related to the fetus.

Adult↗

Effect of gender role identity on patterns of feminine and self-concept scores from late pregnancy to early postpartum.

Relationships among gender role identity, feminine scores, self-concept, and perception of comfort in the mothering role were examined. Fifty-two primiparous and 21 multiparous women completed study questionnaires during the third trimester, 2 to 3 weeks postpartum, and 4 to 6 weeks postpartum. Low feminine gender role identity groups demonstrated the greatest change in feminine and self-concept scores over time. Differences in patterns emerged among the groups regarding size and significance of correlations between feminine and self-concept scores. Implications of findings for nursing practice and the study conceptual framework, as well as study limitations, are discussed.

Adult↗

Effects of a developmental physical activity program on children's body coordination and self-concept.

Significant increases in body coordination, little change in self-concept, and moderate negative correlations between these variables were found after 12 children participated in an 8-wk. developmental physical activity program. Apparently, while body coordination might be improved by participation in activity programs of short duration, these improvements may not necessarily be accompanied by increases in self-concept.

Child↗

Self-concept as a "BMT patient", illness intrusiveness, and engulfment in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: The experience of cancer and its treatment by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can enhance the salience of one's status as a patient in the evolution of self-concept. Illness and the patient role can come to dominate the sense of self, resulting in feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and distress ("engulfment"). Illness-induced lifestyle disruptions ("illness intrusiveness") introduce adaptive demands, challenging preexisting conceptions of self. Illness intrusiveness and engulfment may interact, leading affected individuals to construe themselves as highly similar to a prototypical "BMT patient". METHODS: Ninety allogeneic BMT outpatients completed the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, Modified Engulfment Scale, and a semantic differential measure of self-concept as a BMT patient in an interview context. RESULTS: Illness intrusiveness correlated significantly with engulfment (r=.58, P<.0001) and with self-concept as a BMT patient (r=.27, P<.016). Engulfment did not correlate significantly with self-concept as a BMT patient (r=.15). Multiple regression analysis, controlling for relevant covariates, indicated a significant Illness Intrusiveness x Engulfment interaction effect on self-concept as a BMT patient [F(1,84)=4.93, P<.029]. CONCLUSIONS: Self-concept as a BMT patient increases as cancer and its treatment introduce increasing lifestyle disruptions (illness intrusiveness). These effects are amplified when self-experience is dominated by disease and treatment and patients feel helpless, hopeless, and distressed (engulfment).

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Self-concept and body image in persons who are spinal cord injured with and without lower limb amputation.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) requires considerable psychological adjustment to physical limitations and complications. One particularly severe complication of SCI is foot skin breakdown, which can result in lower limb amputation. Relative to SCI adjustment, amputation may produce one of two psychological outcomes: (a.) the fragile self-concept of a person with SCI may be reduced further by limb amputation, or (b.) amputation of a diseased, nonfunctional limb may be associated with restored health and improved self-concept. To better understand the effects of amputation, 26 males with SCI, 11 of whom had a lower limb amputation, were administered the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TCS) and the Personal Body Attractiveness Scale (PBAS). The study revealed that persons with SCI with amputation had higher Physical and Total self-concept scores on the TSCS, showing a slightly more positive self-concept. On the PBAS, although there were no significant differences in the scores for the legs, ankles, or feet, the persons with SCI with amputation had higher score on the Satisfaction subscale, indicating a slightly greater satisfaction with their thigh in their body image. Implications for future study include replication with larger sample sizes, inclusion of women in the sample, and a longitudinal study. Several nursing interventions are identified.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Self-concept and attraction for similar and dissimilar others.

The present study investigated the role of self-concept as a moderator of the similarity-attraction relationship described by Byrne. Subjects conducted face-to-face interviews with confederates who played roles as job applicants. Similarity-dissimilarity was manipulated by the confederate roles as well as by the information given the subjects in accordance with the procedures described by Byrne. The hypothesis was tested and confirmed that persons with favorable self-concepts would be more attracted to others with similar attitudes than to others with dissimilar attitudes. Persons with negative self-concepts did not show a preference for similar others. It was suggested that earlier studies in this area suffered from methodological flaws and did not constitute an adequate test of the hypothesis. Suggestions for future work in the area were given.

Attitude↗