This was a correlational study which examined the interrelationships between self-handicapping, gender, adult child of alcoholic (ACOA) status, and self-esteem. Self-handicapping was the criterion variable, operationalized by the Self-Handicapping Scale (Strube, 1986). Gender, ACOA status (ACOA or non-ACOA) and self-esteem were the predictor variables. ACOA status was determined by self-report on a demographic survey constructed by the researcher. Self-esteem was operationalized by the revised Janis-Field Feelings of Inadequacy Scale (Eagly, 1967). / Subjects were 81 clients at a university student counseling center. The total sample included 24 males and 57 females; 43 ACOAs (53%) and 38 non-ACOAs (47%). / Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test statistical significance of the main effects and interaction of ACOA status and gender with respect to self-handicapping, not adjusting and adjusting for self-esteem (ANCOVA). Findings included the following: (1) the main effects and interaction between ACOA status groups and gender groups on the self-handicapping variable were not significant. (2) The ANCOVA adjusting for self-esteem failed to confirm a significant difference between ACOA status groups, or between gender groups, but some effect of ACOA status on self-handicapping was noted. (3) Self-esteem was significantly associated with self-handicapping, accounting for 29.6% of the variance. The correlation between high self-esteem and high self-handicapping was found to be $-$.54, higher than previously reported. / The findings and their implications for therapy and future research were discussed. Recommendations included a need to examine the social desirability response biases in the selected instruments, a need to refine the ACOA construct, and the need for ACOA service provision in university counseling centers. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-02, Section: B, page: 1123. / Major Professor: James P. Sampson, Jr. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_78428 |
| Contributors | Harris, Alexandra M., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 196 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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