HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL RELATED TO PREGNANT ADOLESCENTS' PARTICIPATION IN CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASSES (ATTITUDE INDEX).
Contributors: Kansas State University.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 90
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study was concerned with the pregnant adolescent and her participation in childbirth education classes as related to heath locus of control. The role of the pregnancy attitude index control scales in relation to childbirth education was also explored. The important significance of teenage pregnancy in the United States has been widely documented.

The conceptual framework was based on Locus of Control derived from Rotter's social learning theory. The construct of health locus of control has shown promise in predicting and explaining specific health-related behaviors. The research design was quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group. The subjects for this study consisted of sixty pregnant adolescents. Thirty who were not enrolled in childbirth education classes constituted the control group. The experimental group was composed of thirty pregnant adolescents who were enrolled in childbirth education classes.

At the time of actual data collection, the subjects were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the multidimensional health locus of control scales, and the pregnancy attitude index control scales.

Five hypotheses were examined in this research study. The first hypothesis was partially supported and looked at whether childbirth education made a difference in health locus of control between the control and the experimental groups. There was a significant difference between the groups on the chance subscale but not on the internal and powerful others subscales.

The second hypothesis looked at whether marital status made a difference in health locus of control between the groups. This hypothesis was not supported.

The third hypothesis looked at the correlation between the health locus of control and pregnancy attitude index control scales. This hypothesis was partially supported. There was a significant correlation between the scales in relation to total scores, the chance and the powerful others subscales.

The fourth hypothesis looked at whether childbirth education made a difference in pregnancy attitude index control between the control and experimental groups. This hypothesis was partially supported. The significant difference between the groups was on the powerful others subscale.

The fifth hypothesis looked at marital status in relation to the pregnancy attitude index control scales. No significant differences were found; and thus, the hypothesis was not supported. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, Section: B, page: 1873.

Thesis (PH.D.)--KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, 1985.

School code: 0100.