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Over the last decade or more, chronic illness research has consistently found that the lineaer relationship between knowledge and behaviour or between behaviour change and improved health outcomes does not exist. Furthermore, the link between behaviour and health status is not as strong as the link between illness-specific efficacy belier and health status. Strategies to increase confidence in illness-specific behaviours have gradually assumed more importance in improving health outcomes. Strategies to improve behaviour-specific efficacy belief can assist individuals to change their behaviour by influencing behavioural choices, effort and persistence with task man demands. Concomitantly, it has been suggested that there is a positive relationship between efficacy belief and psychosocial functioning. It is unclear as to whether this empirical evidence also applies to chronic illness conditions with a complex self-care regimen. The degree to which a more general level of confidence, or efficacy belief, can also contribute to psychosocial functioning is unknown. The focus of this study was to examine the relative impact of general and illness-specific efficacy expectations on psychosocial adaptation to illness over nine months. The study measured illness-specific efficacy beliefs when it was expected that they were still developing. / The illness-specific beliefs were compared to the purportedly more stable general efficacy belief. This longitudinal study employed an exploratory predictive design to measure efficacy beliefs in the natural setting. Data were collected at entry to the study, at three and nine months Participants included adults from three chronic illness groups: Arthritis (n= = ), diabetes type 1 (n = 104) and type 2 (n = 122). The self-report questionnaires used collect the data were three illness-specific efficacy belief measures, general self-efficacy and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale. The dependent variable of interest was psychosocial adaptation to illness. Multiple regression analysis provided evidence of between-group differences in the positive contribution of general and illness-specific efficacy beliefs to psychosocial adaptation for chronic illness groups with different regimen attributes. The variables best able to predict psychosocial adaptation to illness over time, after being adjusted for perceived level of stress and general self-efficacy (belief in abilities in general), were illness-specific efficacy beliefs. A general efficacy belief contributed to the illness adaptation process initially but its influence reduced as the influence of illness-specific beliefs increased. Repeated measures MANOVA confirmed the stability of general efficacy belief. The contribution of this study to current knowledge of self- -efficacy theory is its application to self-management programs for chronic illness groups. The findings suggest that the more stable general efficacy belief has a role in psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness during the period when illness-specific efficacy beliefs, targeted by self-management programs, are still developing.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon Graduate Center, 1977.

Akademisk avhandling--Göteborgs högskola. / Extra t.p., with thesis note, inserted. "Literatureförteckning": p. [264]-281.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989.

Evidence that an instrument measures what it purports to measure is essential to empirically study the given construct. Despite this fact, little attention has been made to investigate the validity of the Inventory of Childhood Memories and Imaginings (ICMI) and the Creative Experiences Questionnaires (CEQ) - instruments that purport to measure the fantasy proneness construct. In assessing the validity of fantasy proneness measures, the aim of the current study was unique, in that, no known study had conducted a factor analysis of scores on the ICMI, CEQ and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) separately and simultaneously in the same study. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 223) from a large New Zealand University completed six questionnaires measuring fantasy proneness, imagery, dissociation, personality and desirable responding. Separate factor analysis results suggested a three factor solution for ICMI scores accounting for 22.60% of the total variance, a six factor solution for CEQ scores accounting for 42.93% of the total variance, and a three factor solution for DES scores accounting for 81.31% of the total variance. Simultaneous factor analysis results on factor scores of the ICMI, CEQ and DES revealed that dimensions of fantasy proneness loaded on two factors, whereas dimensions of dissociation loaded distinctively on a separate factor. The findings from this study suggest that there is less dimensional overlap between fantasy proneness and dissociation than has been suggested in the recent literature. Findings of this study also suggest that conclusions based on the overall scales of fantasy proneness may be limited and potentially misleading.

Thesis ( M.S.) -- Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: Factor Analysis; Principal Factor; Maximum-likelihood; Stock Performance. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-72).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1959. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-161).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Department of Psychology. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.