SELF-CONCEPT AS A PREDICTOR OF PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS IN MALE AND FEMALE NURSES.
Contributors: United States International University.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 86
Subjects: Psychology, Industrial.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Problem. Although health care and nursing, in particular, have been identified as high stress professions, not all nurses respond negatively to high levels of stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between a potential mediator of stress, self-concept and psychosocial stress in male and female nurses.

Method. A correlational study was conducted using 48 female and 48 male nurses in 6 Southern California hospitals and 1 Oregon hospital. The Derogatis Stress Profile was used to assess psychosocial stress and the Tennessee Self Concept Scale was used to assess self-concept. Additional demographic data including age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, income, hourly wage, education, years in nursing, months in current position, area of nursing, continuing education units, average weekly work hours, number of days absent during past year, average daily number of assigned patients, and days of overtime, were considered.

Results. The first hypothesis, which predicted more positive levels of self-esteem in male nurses than female nurse was not supported. Correlation coefficients were not significant. The second hypothesis which predicted an inverse relationship between nurses' levels of self-esteem and levels of stress was strongly supported. Correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the.05 level of confidence.

Results of the study supported the premise that nurses with positive self-concepts are better able to cope with life's stressors than are nurses with more negative self-concepts. Self-concept was very strongly and inversely related to stress. The notion that male nurses would report higher levels of positive self-concept was not supported. Indeed, in one aspect of self-esteem, Moral-Ethical Self, female nurses attained significantly higher levels than did their male counterparts. Other demographic variables including pay, area of practice, education and ethnicity were not important in predicting levels of stress. This information suggests that interventions to increase self-esteem in nurses and prospective nurses may have a protective quality, insulating nurses against job stress. Efforts to bolster self-esteem in nursing students and practicing nurses may lower stress levels and enhance productivity and retention.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-07, Section: B, page: 4763.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, 1996.

School code: 0239.