EXPERIMENTAL APPRAISAL OF TWO STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING ROLE STRESS AND ROLE CONFLICT IN NURSING STUDENTS (PROFESSIONAL, SOCIALIZATION).
Contributors: California School Of Professional Psychology - San Diego.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 116
Subjects: Psychology, Industrial.
Description: This study was designed to investigate two specific modes of intervention to reduce role stress in undergraduate nursing students: professional role socialization and growth group. Seventy nursing students were assigned to one of two treatment conditions, or a control. The role socialization group subjects were instructed on role management and role negotiation techniques. The growth group featured discussions on separation issues from the family, and exploration of past and present support networks involved with career choice. All groups met for 1 1/2 hours per week for seven weeks.

The four dependent variables were role discrepancy, role conflict, self-report conflict-stress symptoms, and attitude towards nursing. These were administered at the initial meeting and at the final training session. Pretest scores for role discrepancy and stress were relatively low; attitude towards nursing was favorable; and role conflict moderately evident.

The data were analyzed using an analysis of covariance. A Fisher test for pairwise comparisons was then calculated. Contrary to the hypothesized predictions, the role socialization treatment had no significant impact upon any of the four measures. Moreover, the growth group treatment had a significant negative impact upon role discrepancy and stress symptoms, but no significance in relation to role conflict or attitude towards nursing. A Pearson Product-Moment Correlational Analysis was conducted on the pretest and posttest measures. Role discrepancy and stress, and role discrepancy and role conflict were positively correlated on the pretest scores. Role discrepancy and stress were positively correlated and attitude towards nursing and stress were negatively correlated on the posttest scores.

Neither role socialization nor growth group were successful interventions for reducing role stress, as measured by the four dependent variables. Possible explanations for the failure to bring about the desired changes were reviewed and ruled out. The possibility was considered that intervention might have proven more effective with participants who had higher initial levels of role stress and conflict. It was suggested that the introduction of these types of intervention with students who were still enthusiastic and who had not yet lost their illusions may have been premature.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, Section: B, page: 2105.

Thesis (PH.D.)--CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY - SAN DIEGO, 1985.

School code: 0379.