PSYCHIATRIC NURSING

What is known on this subject? • In the literature, no study has been found to determine whether sociotropy-autonomy personality traits and locus of control are predictors of the learned resourcefulness levels of nurses. What is the contribution of this paper? • In the study, nurses who worked at the institution for more than 25 years and who worked only the day shift had higher learned resourcefulness scores. Autonomous personality type, self-control, and belief in an unfair world were the predictors of learned resourcefulness in nurses. What is its contribution to the practice? • The nurses with low levels of learned resourcefulness are relatively younger and inexperienced. Therefore, psychoeducation and group counseling are needed to improve their autonomy, self-control, and cognitive coping strategies. 156 Psikiyatri Hemşireliği Dergisi Journal of Psychiatric Nursing In a study conducted with a large group working directly with people, Maslach, Schaufeli and Leiter[11] stated that skills in coping with work-related emotional stress had significant effects on individuals’ professional identities and their professional behaviors. There exist some basic and effective behaviors and cognitive skills attained since birth in coping with stress-causing situations. Learned resourcefulness, as defined by Rosenbaum,[12] is one of these cognitive skills. Learned resourcefulness is an acquired personality trait that helps the individuals regulate their inner reactions in a way to ensure appropriate behavioral modes, and it usually consists of a set of cognitive self-control skills and behaviors. It also involves certain behavioral traits such as skills to select and apply problem solving skills, self-talk skills to control cognitive processes, skills to postpone satisfaction, as well as an inclination to find yourself active and effective in response to events. [12] Personal differences in learned resourcefulness play a significant role in determining the reactions the individuals display under stressful situations. [13] According to Rosenbaum and Jaffe,[14] the reactions displayed under the same stressful situation might vary because of differing levels of learned resourcefulness. Akgün and Ciarrochi[15] established that individuals with high levels of learned resourcefulness can diminish the negative effects of stress by utilizing certain self-control skills. As stated by Lazarus,[16] the process of coping with stress involves a highly complicated and dynamic structure. Certain factors including individuals’ personal features,[2] their assessment of the situation, whether they attribute the cause of stress to internal or external factors,[17,18] as well as the dimensions and features of the stress-inducing event are all significant factors in coping with stress effectively. Individuals who interpret events and results of specific behaviors based on internal factors like their own behaviors or relatively stable personal characteristics are thought to possess internal locus of control. However, those which are focused more on external factors such as luck, fate, and effects of other strong people or entities are thought to have external locus of control characteristics. [19–21] People with an internal locus of control utilize problem-based coping strategies, which are more harmonious ways of coping, whereas those with an external locus of control use emotion-based coping strategies. [21] The meaning individuals attach to a specific event and the way they perceive events are affected by their personality traits or characteristics. [2,9,22–27] Therefore, our personality traits, the way we perceive an event, and our assessment of our own skills in coping with the event all effect whether we define an event as “manageable” or “unmanageable. ”[22,28,29] Sociotropy–autonomy personality traits are another personality grouping type and display similarities with the grouping based on locus of control. Whereas autonomous personality traits are similar to an internal locus of control, sociotropic personality traits are similar to an external locus of control. Sociotropy indicates a dependency on others, but autonomy indicates more self-reliance. [30] Akkaya,[31] Aydın,[2] Ceylan,[24] and Beck et al.[30] indicate that sociotropy and autonomy personality traits are determinants in coping with stress. The stress-inducing nature of the nursing profession necessitates efficient dealing with stress. In order to improve coping skills of nurses, it is first necessary to determine the problem areas encountered and the group of nurses most at risk. Therefore, this study investigated learned resourcefulness and its relationships with locus of control, sociotropy-autonomy personality traits, and demographic and professional characteristics in nurses. In our literature search, we did not encounter any study questioning whether sociotropy–autonomy personality traits and locus of control of nurses are predictors of their learned resourcefulness. Therefore, this study is the first to determine the predictors of learned resourcefulness in nurses. In addition, we have revealed the relationship between the levels of learned resourcefulness of the nurses and their demographic and professional characteristics, locus of control, and sociotropy–autonomy. We sought answers to the following questions: 1. What is the relationship between low and high learned resourcefulness levels and sociotropy-autonomy personality traits? 2. What is the relationship between low and high learned resourcefulness levels and locus of control? 3. Which descriptive characteristics, sociotropy-autonomy personality traits, and locus of control sub-dimensions are the predictors of learned resourcefulness? Materials and Method We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study designed to answer the research questions. A sampling method was not used. Nurses who volunteered to participate in the study created the sample. The study participants included 339 clinical nurses working at the Adult, Pediatric, and Oncology Hospitals of Hacettepe University. Of these, 189 worked at the adult hospital, 87 at the pediatric hospital, and 63 at the oncology hospital. Data Collection Tools Nurse Data Form: We designed this form to obtain data about the demographic and professional characteristics of nurses. The form included variables such as age, marital status, level of education, duration in profession, duration at the institution, service worked in, duty in the service, pattern of work, number of days on duty per month, number of patients cared for, reason for choosing the profession, what their decision would be if they had the chance to quit or choose again, and the problems they faced most frequently on the job. Sociotropy–Autonomy Scale (SAS): This scale that was developed by Beck, Epstein, Horisson and Emery (1983) measures two personality traits, namely Sociotropy (social dependency) and Autonomy (satisfying independency). It was adapted to Turkish, and tested for its validity and reliability by Şahin, 157 Bahanur Malak Akgün, Variables predicting learned resourcefulness of nurses / dx.doi. org/10.14744/phd.2019. 21549 Ulusoy and Şahin. [32] Test-retest reliability of the original scale ranged from 0.65 to 0.88 for sociotropy and from 0.66 to 0.75 for autonomy. Alpha reliability coefficients of the Turkish form of the scale were found to be 0.70 and 0.81 for sociotropy and autonomy, respectively. [33] In this study, Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients for sociotropy and autonomy were found to be 0.88 and 0.87, respectively. SAS utilized a 5-point Likert scale consisting of 60 items: 30 sociotropy and 30 autonomy sub-scale items. For each item, the participants were expected to answer items in which 0 represents “does not apply”, 1 represents “applies a little”, 2 represents “applies moderately”, 3 represents “applies strongly”, and 4 represents “applies very strongly”. The lowest and the highest scores that can be obtained for each sub-dimension is between 0 and 120. Because SAS consists of two separate dimensions, the scale has two total scores. In evaluating the scale, increasing scores in the sociotropy dimension reveal high sociotropic personality traits, whereas increasing scores in the autonomy dimension reveal a high level of autonomy in participants. The dimensions of the scale are evaluated separately and therefore the scale does not have an overall total score. In the sociotropy dimension, there are 10 items for Concern About Disapproval, 13 items for Attachment/Concern About Separation, and 7 items for Pleasing Others. In the autonomy dimension, there are 12 items for Individualistic or Autonomous Achievement, 12 items for Mobility/Freedom from Control of Others, and 6 items for Preference for Solitude. [33] Locus of Control Scale (LCS): Dağ[20] developed this 5-point Likert-type scale, which is based on, but more comprehensive than, Rotter’s Internal/External Locus of Control Scale (RIELCS). LCS consists of 47 items because of the item analysis based on comparisons of LCS item-total correlations and extreme groups. The Cronbach’s alpha internal reliability coefficient was found to be 0.92 and the test-retest reliability coefficient was determined to be 0.88. Items reflecting a belief for inner control located predominantly under the largest (first) factor (18 items, 12.62%; α=0.87) named “self-control. ” Items reflecting a belief for external control were located under the other four factors displaying significant combination. The second factor of the scale is “belief in luck” (11 items, 8.56%; α=0.79), third is “pointlessness of struggling” (10 items, 7.7%; α=0.76), fourth is “predestinarianism” (3 items, 6.03%; α=0.74), and fifth is “belief in an unfair world” (5 items, 5.2%; α=0.61). [20] In our study, the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was found to be 0.89 for self-control, 0.59 for belief in luck, 0.82 for pointlessness of struggling, 0.69 for predestinarianism, an