HEALTH STATUS IN URBAN MINORITY ADOLESCENTS.
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 116
Subjects: Education, Health.; Psychology, Developmental.; Psychology, Social.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Description: The purpose of this study was to describe the urban minority adolescent perception of perceived health status and to investigate predictors of health promotion, namely, intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, risk perception and life events. Perceived health status was viewed as an aggregate measure of well-being in the adolescent. The Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (IMCHB) (Cox, 1982) provided the theoretical framework for the relationship among the variables. The variables were measured using the Adolescent Health Charts (Wasson, et al., 1993), The Health Self-Determinism Index for Children (Cox, et al., 1990), Self-Efficacy Scale (Hardin, et al., 1990), The Risk Taking Instrument (Busen, 1991) and the Life Events Scale (Hardin, et al., 1990). Each instrument was translated into Spanish and independently retranslated back into English in order to assure the equivalence of the two instruments. (Marin and VanOss Marin, 1991).

Using multiple regression analysis, there was a statistically significant relationship between self-efficacy, risk perception and the interaction between violent life events and self-efficacy and perceived health status. Intrinsic motivation did not demonstrate a significant relationship to perceived health status. The results indicated that 41% of the variance of perceived health status in urban minority adolescents (n = 71)was accounted for by the aforementioned variables. This was a large effect size.

The results of this aspect of the study indicate that urban minority adolescents are essentially extrinsically motivated with respect to health matters and that neither intrinsic motivation nor extrinsic motivation influenced perceived health status. The sample had a high level of self-efficacy and this assuredness is associated with positive perceived health status. The sample had a very accurate risk assessment and this ability to make appropriate risk assessments was associated with positive perceived health status in the sample. Life events or stress did not affect the samples' perception of health, however, the interaction between violent life events and self- efficacy on perceived health status was significant. The results of this interaction suggests that self-efficacy has a buffering effect on violent events for the prediction of perceived health status. Despite the presence of violence and stress in the lives of the sample, the manifestation of self-efficacy can maintain high levels of perceived health status.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-11, Section: A, page: 4287.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1995.

School code: 0055.