EFFECTS OF SELF-ESTEEM, THREAT APPRAISAL, AND COPING RESPONSES ON THE SOMATIC COMPONENTS OF ILLNESS: A TEST OF A PROPOSED CAUSAL MODEL WITH PROFESSIONAL WOMEN (WOMEN).
Contributors: Indiana University School of Nursing.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 381
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Social.
Description: The study was designed to test a causal model of theoretical relationships among self-esteem, threat appraisal, coping responses, and the somatic components of illness with a population of professional women. The proposed causal model was derived from Lazarus's cognitively oriented theory of psychological stress and coping. Development of a valid model of interrelations among the variables of interest would assist in the formulation of nursing interventions aimed at decreasing vulnerability to stress and stress-related illness.

A correlational field investigation was conducted to test the hypothesized causal model. The non-probability sample of 302 women, age 21 to 68, was obtained from responses to questionnaires mailed to 1000 women in 10 metropolitan areas of the U.S.

Path analysis was conducted to test the model using the LISREL VI computer program. All but one of the proposed relationships among causal model variables were found to be consistent with the data. Self-esteem was significantly related to reduced threat appraisal, reduced emotion-focused coping, and increased problem-focused coping. Threat appraisal was found to be significantly related to coping responses such that as threat increased, problem-focused coping decreased and emotion-focused coping increased. Coping responses were found to be significantly positively related to somatic illness symptoms and to mediate between self-esteem and the somatic components of illness. Threat appraisal was positively related to increased emotional symptoms but had no relationship to the physical component of somatic illness.

Analyses indicated that the model as a whole did not perfectly fit the data. Through addition of parameters suggested by the data analysis, a model was developed which fit the data.

The model was tested controlling for selected demographic and situation variables. Age, income, number of hours worked per week, and duration of concern about a stressful situation were found to be significantly related to one or more causal model variables.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-08, Section: B, page: 4125.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING, 1991.

School code: 0815.