LOCUS OF CONTROL ORIENTATION, SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT: AN EXAMINATION OF THE PSYCHO-SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF NURSING HOME PLACEMENT AMONG THE HOSPITALIZED ELDERLY (DISCHARGE PLANNING).
Contributors: Catholic University of America.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 195
Subjects: Social Work.
Description: Using an ecological systems theoretical framework, the psychosocial determinants of nursing home placement were examined. The specific purpose of this study was to test whether locus of control orientation, social network relations and social support are significant predictors of nursing home placement among the hospitalized elderly. A disproportionate stratified random sampling procedure was used to select the study sample of 117 elderly patients. Data was collected by means of a structured interview schedule and standardized measures of health, social and mental status. Data sources were patients, their physicians, nurses and medical records. Descriptive and exploratory analysis of scores on the major study variables was conducted. Bivariate and multivariate correlational analysis was employed in testing the study hypotheses.

Bivariate analysis (product-moment correlations) revealed that internal locus of control orientation was associated with greater social support and less likelihood of nursing home placement. Internal locus of control was also found to be associated with disengaged friend networks. No correlation was found between locus of control orientation and functional ability or between locus of control orientation and the use of formal health and social services. Multivariate analysis (multiple regression) revealed that social support was the best predictor of nursing home placement accounting for 43% of its variance in a stepwise regression and 16% of its variance in a hierarchical regression. Other significant predictors in the regression model were mental status, ability to perform activities of daily living, neurological and hepatic impairment, and abandoned network relations in both the relative and friend network systems. A total of 62% of the criterion variance was accounted for by the independent and control variables. Implications of these findings for social work theory and practice, health policy and future research are discussed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-05, Section: A, page: 1400.

Thesis (D.S.W.)--THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, 1985.

School code: 0043.