M.A. / Over the years it has become clear that self-efficacy beliefs play a significant role in various domains of human functioning. According to Bandura (1986) individuals possess a self-system that enables them to exercise a measure of control over their thoughts, feelings and actions. This implies that the construct of self-efficacy has a pervasive influence on human functioning as it is seen to influence the way in which people feel, think and act. The literature has also shown that the physiological dimension of the self also stands to be affected by efficacy beliefs. One of the goal's of this research was to investigate the role of self-effiCacy as a mediating factor in the stress response, and how the various facets of self are affected by and affect an individual's perception of and response to a stressful situation. The stressful condition refers to the semester tests and how the students predicted their academic perfonnance under these conditions of stress. The design of the study was quantitative, and the sample comprised of 49 undergraduate psychology students. They completed a series of questionnaires a week before the first condition of stress, and their blood pressure was also measured at this time. Their blood pressure was also measured pretest and posttest at both conditions of stress. By means of a cluster analysis the group was divided into two homogeneous groups (high self-efficacy group, N=27) and (a low self-efficacy group, N=22) and this was followed by a detailed statistical analysis. The results revealed that the high self-efficacy group showed a bigger decline in diastolic and systolic blood pressure than the low self-efficacy group once the stressful condition had passed. Therefore the high self-efficacy group made a quicker physical recovery than the low self-efficacy group. It thus appears that the stress response of the more efficacious group may have been mediated by their beliefs of coping efficacy. Furthennore, the high self-efficacy group was more accurate in predicting their academic perfonnance than the low self-efficacy group. Even though the more efficacious group did not perfonn as well as the less efficacious group, they showed more optimism, and their prediction suggests that they are able to realistically appraise what they are capable of, since the test result was similar to what they had predicted. This ability to predict perfonnance is vital, as a major function of thought is to predict events and to exercise control over these events. This sense of control can be regarded as a self-confident view of an individual's capability to deal with certain life stressors (Schwarzer, 1997). Even though this study has highlighted some interesting trends relating to selfefficacy and the stress response, further research is needed to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this dynamic relationship.

Background: Attachment theory [Bowlby, J. 1969, 1973, 1980 Attachment & Loss, Volumes I-III, London: Hogarth Press] proposes that a person’s experiences of care in infancy and childhood lay the foundations for their internal working models of themselves and others. Inconsistent, unpredictable or hostile caregiving can lead individuals to hold negative internal working models which can impact on their mental health later in life. Many looked after and accommodated young people have experienced this type of neglectful or abusive parenting. These experiences of parenting may lead looked after young people to have internal working models of themselves as ineffective and of others as powerful, thus leading them to develop a learned helplessness and a more external locus of control. Objectives: A systematic review was carried out in order to explore the mechanisms by which the relationship between attachment and depression functions in adolescence. An empirical study aimed to investigate whether young people with negative attachment experiences, those who are looked after and accommodated, have higher levels of depression or a more external locus of control than other young people of the same age and the role these play in their future thinking. Method: Nineteen papers investigating mediators and moderators of the attachmentdepression relationship in adolescence were reviewed. In the empirical study, a group of looked after and a group of non-looked after young people aged 15-18 were asked about their approach and avoidance goals for the future and were asked to rate beliefs in their control over, and likelihood of, achieving these goals. Results: Evidence was found for a number of mediators of the relationship between attachment and adolescent depression. There were also found to be significant differences between the two groups with differing care histories with regards to levels of depression and locus of control, with looked after young people having higher levels of depression and a more external locus of control. A mediation analysis found that locus of control mediated the relationship between looked after status and future thinking. Conclusions: A person’s attachment history and experiences of care in early childhood can impact on their levels of depression and locus of control. There are a number of factors which mediate or moderate the attachment-depression relationship, most of which can be attributed to an individual’s internal working model of either themselves or others. Locus of control plays a critical role in young people’s future thinking and professionals working with accommodated adolescents should facilitate these young people to have experiences which will help to increase the internality of their locus of control. Objective: Attachment security has been found to be a significant predictor of depression in adolescence. This review aimed to examine the pathways by which this relationship functions by reviewing studies which have investigated potential mediating or moderating factors. Method: Studies were included if they investigated mediation and/or moderation of the relationship between attachment and adolescent depression. Results: A number of cognitive and social factors were found to mediate the attachmentdepression relationship. Age was found to be a significant moderator of the relationship but the findings on gender were inconsistent. The findings should be treated with caution, however, as many of the studies reviewed were potentially underpowered. Conclusions: A model is proposed in which mediating factors were linked to the internal working models of self and others. The need for future research to be carried out in clinical adolescent populations with sample sizes large enough to ensure adequate power was identified.

Abstract Associations have been found between diabetes status and periodontal diseases and dental caries. In addition to biological explanations, psychological features can be proposed to affect the relations between oral health and IDDM (=insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus). The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological features characterizing oral hygiene practices, dental visiting and diabetes self-care. The research population consisted of 149 IDDM patients, and cross-sectional data were collected by a quantitative questionnaire, in clinical examinations and from patient records. There was a positive correlation between the sum scores for dental self-efficacy and diabetes self-efficacy and, correspondingly, between the dental and diabetes locus of control beliefs. High self-esteem was found to associate with good adherence to some specific health behaviors, such as tooth brushing, exercising and insulin adjustment. When Weiner's attribution theory was used, there were similarities in the causal thinking in oral and diabetes view. All in all, especially the perception of self-efficacy was found to be a powerful feature characterizing health behavior. There were overlapping relations showing an association of high dental self-efficacy with good diabetes adherence, of high diabetes self-efficacy with frequent dental visiting, and of good metabolic control with high tooth brushing self-efficacy, frequent tooth brushing and low plaque level. On the basis of these results, enhancement of self-efficacy appears important. These results suggest that there might, indeed, be some common psychological features for both oral health behavior and diabetes self-care. These could partly explain the relations between diabetes status and periodontal diseases and dental caries. The results can be utilized in patient-centered health education by identifying and enhancing the psychological features that characterize health behavior and health status. The results emphasize the need for co-operation between dental and diabetes health care professionals in their daily practice.

This study sought to understand the relationships among locus of control, parenting style, academic procrastination, and financial independence with a population of undergraduate students. A sample of 61 students (39 females, 21 males, 1 other) completed measures of demographics, locus of control, parenting style, and academic procrastination. Participants were recruited within the last two weeks of the semester. Therefore, the sample probably contained a higher percentage of procrastinators than the general population. There were no significant correlations across the total sample. There was a significant positive correlation between higher scores on the Parental Authority Questionnaire authoritative scale and the Procrastination Assessment Scale Student Frequency scores for individuals who were financially dependent. There was also a significant negative correlation between the authoritarian and authoritative parenting style scores for those who were financially dependent.

Abstract The goals in diabetes care are good metabolic control, minimisation of complications due to diabetes and a good quality of life. In order to achieve these goals, it is important that persons with diabetes adhere to self-care. Internationally, there are numerous studies available about adherence to self-care among adults with diabetes, but in Finland there are hardly any, especially in nursing science. The purpose of this study was to examine adherence to self-care and also how metabolic control, social support and health locus of control beliefs are related to patient adherence. The data were gathered by questionnaires from 213 working-aged adults with insulin-treated diabetes from the Oulu Health Center or the Central Hospital of Lapland. The response rate was 76%. In order to verify the reliability and the validity of the instruments, we used correlation coefficients, factor analysis and item-total analysis. Internal consistency was checked by Cronbach's alfa. Cross-tabulations with the chi-square test of independence, correlations, One- and Two-Way ANOVA and covariate analysis were used for data analysis. Our multivariate statistical methods consisted of logistic and multiple linear regression analysis and cluster analysis. The subjects who were adherent to self-care had better metabolic control than those who neglected self-care. A fifth of the respondents were neglecting their self-care. The others undertook flexible, regimen-adherent or self-planned self-care. Poor metabolic control, smoking and living alone explained neglect of self-care. If the diabetic got support from her/his family and friends, living alone was not a predictor of neglect of self-care. Those who were adherent to self-care perceived themselves as getting more support from their family and friends than the group who neglected self-care. Those who had poor metabolic control perceived themselves as getting peer support from other persons with diabetes. Those who were adherent to self-care were responsible internals who believed both in their own action and in health care team action. Those who mainly believed in health care team action (powerful other externals) were more adherent to self-care than those with an internal or chance external health locus of control. We got evidence about the importance of adherence to self-care, and its relationship with metabolic control, social support anf HLOC beliefs. The results can be used when developing the individual patient education of persons with diabetes.

Psychometric instruments are used internationally in organisations to assist companies when making recruitment or development decisions. But the differences that exist on similar psychometric instruments between international groups of people with similar qualifications necessitate the evaluation of the construct validity of these instruments. The objective of this study was to determine the construct validity of the locus of control inventory developed by Udai Pareek in 1998. The instrument consists of 30 items and it was completed by 155 pre-and postgraduate students at the University of Pretoria. Oblimin rotation was used to assist with the interpretation of the factors. In the pattern and structure matrix the highest loadings were highlighted which meant that these items measured the construct that they were supposed to measure. Items were deleted where there was no clear indication as to what the item was measuring. Item analysis was done on each of the constructs identified to further investigate the appropriateness of each item and even more items were deleted, which also had an impact on the Cronbach’s alpha value. The chi-square as well as other fit indices was used to determine the model fit. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to establish how well the model fitted the data. It was clear that the two-factor model fitted the data considerably better than the three-factor model because of a high correlation between two of the factors which indicated that they might be measuring the same construct. The results indicate that the locus of control instrument is not suitable for use in the South African context and should therefore be modified until a satisfactory model fit is found. AFRIKAANS: Psigometrise instrumente word wereldwyd benut om maatsappye te help met werwing en ontwikkelings besluite. Maar die verskille wat ontstaan wanneer internasionale groepe met soortgelyke kwalifikasies teen mekaar opgeweeg word vereis dat die konstruk geldigheid van die instrumente bepaal word. Die doel van die studie was om die konstruk geldigheid van die lokus van kontrole vraelys, wat deur Udai Pareek ontwikkel is, te ondersoek.Die instrument bestaan uit 30 items en dit was voltooi deur 155 voor-en nagraadse studente van die Universiteit van Pretoria. Oblimin rotasie was gebruik om die interpretasie van die faktore te vergemaklik. Die items wat werklik meet wat dit ontwikkel is om te meet is ingekleur sodat dit maklik geidentifiseer kan word.Items is slegs uit die vraelys gehaal waar daar geen duidelike indikasie was wat die item meet nie. Item analise was op elke konstruk toegepas, en die chi-square en ander passings indekse was gebruik om te bepaal hoe die model op die data pas. Dit was duidelik dat die twee-faktor model die data baie beter pas as die voorgestelde drie-faktor model. Volgens die drie faktor model is daar twee van die voorgestelde drie faktore wat moontlik die selfde konstruk kan meet. Die resultate dui aan dat die lokus van kontrole vraelys nie geskik is vir gebruik in Suid–Afrika nie, en sal daarom aangepas moet word totdat „n aanvaarbare model gevind is. Copyright 2009, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Engelbrecht, C 2009, Determining the construct validity of Udai Pareek's locus of control inventory , MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02092012-100414 / > C12/4/75/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between the location of the initial onset of back pain as revealed by the subject's pain drawing and the site of maximum muscle tension at rest, while jaw-clenching and during a cold stressor, in men and women. Subjects were 30 males and 30 females divided into three groups of 10 males and 10 females each and designated according to back pain history as no back pain (NBP), upper back pain onset (UBP) and lower back pain onset (LBP). Six bipolar, bilateral electromyographic (EMG) recording sites were instrumented on each subject. EMG levels were recorded from the forehead, forearm, upper back, lower back, thighs and ankles under conditions of rest, jaw-clenching and a cold stressor. Seven hypotheses predicted that EMG levels would distinguish groups and gender of the subjects and that interactions would exist between site of pain onset and EMG elevations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between activism and well-being and the underlying mechanisms that make up this relationship. The study's hypothesis was that there is a relationship between activism and well-being and that this relationship is either moderated or mediated by optimism and locus of control. It means that we expected that locus of control and optimism would at least partly explain the association between activism and well-being. Data was collected using an online-survey and recruiting participants through social media. The survey included questionnaires that measured locus of control, optimism, activism, depression and anxiety, satisfaction with life and meaning in life. A total of 259 participants was included in the final sample. Correlation analyses were conducted and showed that there was a negative significant correlation between activism and locus of control/optimism. There was a positive correlation between locus of control/optimism and well-being. The correlation between activism and anxiety was positive and the correlation between activism and meaning in life was positive. No support for the moderation hypotheses was found. However, three mediation analysis were conducted and the results showed a significant mediation effect of optimism and locus of control on the relationship between activism and different dimensions of well-being. The results of mediation analysis indicated that activists experience less control and are less optimistic and in turn experience poorer well-being. It is concluded that optimism and locus of control could be underlying factors that explain the underlying mechanism behind the relationship between activism and well-being, but this relationship is complicated and future studies are needed in order to gain better understanding of possible underlying factors.

My aim is to design a research program that emphasizes inclusivity through empiricism rather than anecdotes and benevolent sexism. To accomplish this goal, I review and build on the work assessing the influence of fertility in the female consumer experience (FCE). Fertility, especially menstruation, has been used anecdotally for too long. This research was designed to address the gap in knowledge around the way in which women perceive advertisements. More specifically, the role fertility plays in the process women go through when assessing advertisements and offerings. Does a woman's desire to seek variety become reduced when she sees a rival endorsing the offering? If this is the case, then there is a need to find a mediating variable that can overcome this effect. Internal locus of control, the level a person feels they are in control of the outcomes in their lives, was selected as a starting point. Having a high internal LOC should buffer a person's perceptions of another as a threat. A cross-sectional design from a convenience sample of university students was used to address a series of five research questions: 1) Does fertility status influence locus of control, 2) Does fertility status influence rival assessment, 3) Does locus of control mediate rival assessment, 4) Does rival assessment influence advertisement assessment and purchase intent, and 5) Does external locus of control have more than a single factor? The results from the multiple one-way ANOVAs and linear regressions were not significant, but it was promising given the limitations of the study. Namely, the rate of unusable data combined with the rate of birth control use limited the final analyses to a sample of 62 cases. Additional considerations and future research directions are outlined in chapter 5.

Call centres across the globe experience high levels of absenteeism and labour turnover. The reason being: job dissatisfaction. South African call centres are also facing the same problem where absenteeism and labour turnover is on the increase. Job satisfaction is influenced not only by situational aspects of the job environment but by dispositional personality factors of the individual as well. The aim of the study was to determine the possible relationship among locus of control, self-determination and job satisfaction. The study population consisted of (N= 187) call centre agents from a Municipality in Gauteng. The results of the empirical study indicate there is a relationship between locus of control and job satisfaction. Copyright 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Carrim, N 2006, The relationship amongst locus of control, self-determination and job satisfaction in call centres, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02132012-105055 / > C12/4/70/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted