COGNITIVE ADAPTATION PROCESSING AND SELF-CONSISTENCY IN THE HEARING IMPAIRED ELDERLY.
Contributors: Boston College.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 364
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive adaptation processing and self consistency in the hearing impaired elderly. In addition, the effects of perceived health status and demographic variables on self consistency were measured. The Cognitive Adaptation Processing Scale-Elder (CAPS-E, Roy, 1992), the Self Consistency Scale (SCS, Zhan, 1992), and the Health Status Questionnaire (HSQ, InterStudy, 1991) were used to measure cognitive adaptation processing, perceived health status, and self consistency of 128 hearing impaired elderly persons 64 years and older who reside in the northeastern part of the United States.

Results indicated a moderately strong positive correlation between cognitive adaptation processing and self consistency (r =.65, p $<$.01). Cognitive adaptation processing explained 42 percent of the variance in self consistency (r$\sp2$ =.42, p $<$.001). Three patterns of cognitive adaptation processing--self perception, clear focus and method, and knowing awareness--significantly contributed to the maintenance of self consistency, with discriminant loadings of.53,.46,.40, respectively (p $<$.01). Findings also indicated a positive correlation between perceived health status and self consistency (r =.42, p $<$.01). Men (45 percent) differed significantly from women (55 percent) on the variables as follows: they scored higher on the SCS (p $<$.05); higher on the HSQ (p $<$.05); and higher on the CAPS-E (p $<$.05). Self consistency did not vary according to other demographic variables (i.e., education, income, marital status, perceived degree of hearing loss and years of hearing loss), indicating that these factors are not relevant in the hypothesized relationships,.

Psychometric properties of the SCS, the CAPS-E, and the HSQ were evaluated. All of the scales had an acceptable internal consistency reliability of.89,.85, &.94, respectively (p $<$.01). Convergent and divergent validity was established for the SCS. Factor analysis was performed for the CAPS-E and the SCS to examine the underlying constructs of these scales.

Empirical evidence of this study provides strong support for the theoretical postulate that the individual strives to maintain self consistency through cognitive processing strategies. Implications of this study for nursing practice, nursing knowledge development and future research are discussed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-08, Section: B, page: 4086.

Thesis (PH.D.)--BOSTON COLLEGE, 1993.

School code: 0016.