Thesis (M.A.(Clinical Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities,
2004 / The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the four
dimensions of health locus of control and behaviours that predispose South African
youth to HIV infection (HIV risk behaviours). Health locus of control (HLC)
represents people's perception regarding controllability of health outcomes; whether
health outcomes are controlled by internal or personal factors, powerful others like
health care professionals, and chance or fate. Both powerful others health locus of
control (PHLC) and chance health locus of control (CHLC) form the fourth dimension
of external health locus of control (EHLC). A sample of 84 (n=84) South African
young adults, 44 females and 40 males, whose ages ranged from 18 to 24 years old
were selected for the study. They were requested to complete two questionnaires:
Multidimensional Health Locus of Control and HIV risk behaviour assessment scale.
Correlational analyses were done to establish the relationship between HLC and HIV
risk behaviour. The findings of the research indicate that participants who scored
higher on internal health locus of control (IHLC) tended to score insignificantly lower
on HIV risk behaviour scale (r = - 0.17 with p of 0.1242). Participants who scored
higher on PHLC scored insignificantly higher on HIV risk behaviour scale (r = 0.17
with p of 0.1195). While participants who scored higher on both CHLC and EHLC
tended score significantly higher on HIV risk behaviour scale (CHLC r = 0.40 with P
of 0.0001 and EHLC r = 0.37 withp of 0.0005). These results suggest that when both
CHLC and EHLC scores go high, the risk of HIV infection also increases. Therefore,
youth who have greater CHLC and EHLC tendencies are more likely to engage in
behaviour that may predispose them to HIV than those who are high in IHLC. The
findings of this study could provide further clarity on why many South African youth
continue to engage in behaviour that predispose them to HIV infection. And therefore,
to curb the spread of HIV, intervention strategies need to be informed by the
understanding of the relationship between HLC and factors that predispose youth to
HIV.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/18748 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Teka, Moketse Samuel |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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