THE RELATIONSHIP OF DISCREPANCY OF SELF-CONCEPT, HEALTH LOCUS-OF-CONTROL, AND THE VALUE OF HEALTH TO CHANGES IN THE SMOKING BEHAVIOR OF WOMEN OVER FOUR MONTHS TIME.
Contributors: New York University.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 219
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Health.
Description: This descriptive study explored the relationship of discrepancy of self concept, internal health locus of control, and the value of health with sustained change in a selected health-related behavior of women; specifically smoking cessation or reduction. The Miskimins Self-Goal Discrepancy Scale-1, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC), the Value Ranking Survey with health added, and a Daily Cigarette Smoking Pattern were used to test 148 women ages 20 to 50 (X = 34.6 years), living in the New York City metropolitan area, who regularly smoked at the initiation of a plan to quit. The same tools were used about four months later (X = 17.3 weeks). Nearly 90% were engaged in group programs.

Three hypotheses were tested: (H1) Women who quit or show reductions in smoking behavior are (a) those with larger discrepancies of self-concept at the initiation of their plan to quit (T1) and (b) respectively smaller discrepancies of self-concept four months later (T2); (H2) Women who do not change their smoking behavior are those with no change in discrepancy of self-concept between T1 and T2; (H3) Women who quit or show reductions in smoking behavior are not only those with larger initial discrepancies of self-concept, but also with more internal health locus of control and higher health value at T1.

Results showed that 34.5% quit, 34.5% reduced, and 28.3% stayed the same. H1: Discrepancy scores did not predict smoking outcome but were highly significant (p $>$.0005) over time for all groups. Quitters and reducers decreased discrepancy toward greater congruity at T2 (p $>$.01, p $>$.05 respectively), thus only part (b) was supported. H2 was supported. H3 was not supported. The population overall was less oriented (p $>$.001) to powerful-others than reported norms. MHLC scores of quitters demonstrated lowest IHLC and PHLC scores of all outcomes. All groups ranked health highly, but value of health did not predict outcome; quitters ranked health lowest. An exclusive association was found between having a schedule for quitting and success. Trying to quit two-to-five times before was significantly related (p $>$.053) with successful cessation.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-09, Section: B, page: 2602.

Thesis (PH.D.)--NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, 1987.

School code: 0146.