IMPACT OF ANXIETY AS A MEDIATING VARIABLE ON HEALTH EDUCATORS' UTILIZATION OF EVALUATION RESULTS.
Contributors: State University of New York at Albany.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 144
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Education.; Education, Tests and Measurements.
Description: This study examined relationships among purpose of evaluation and subsequent utilization of results for health care educators when considering anxiety as a mediating variable. Previous research provided evidence that negative perceptions about program evaluation impact utilization (Newman, Brown, Rivers & Glock, 1983). Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources Theory (1988) provided the theoretical framework for use of anxiety in this study.

Subjects consisted of three randomly stratified samples of 250 each from three health-education areas. The total response rate was 72% (N = 540). Subjects responded to a survey designed to assess perceptions about purposes of evaluation, utilization of results, and levels of anxiety among users of evaluation.

A correlational research design was employed to assess the role of anxiety as a mediating variable between purpose and use of evaluation. Two constructs for purpose were identified--internal and external purposes of evaluation. Six constructs of use were found--no use, symbolic use, conceptual use, use for positive maintenance, use as negative change, and use as positive change. Identified anxiety constructs were risk, avoidance, and general anxiety.

Results of this study with nursing health educators indicate the following: (1) External purposes for conducting evaluation are more important than internal purposes. (2) Positive maintenance and negative change are predicted by external purposes, conceptual use is predicted by internal and external purposes. (3) Respondents agreed the process of evaluation was anxiety producing. (4) All constructs of use, except no use, were predicted by one or more of the anxiety constructs. (5) When controlling for anxiety, no notable increase in predictability was found for the relationship between purpose and use.

Implications for practice and theory suggest utilization is taking place in the health education arena; therefore, practitioners need to be cognizant of variables which may impact use. The anxiety level delineated in this study provides information for implementing evaluation projects and a reference point for future research to determine the direction and growth of anxiety. This study adds to the understanding and assumptions in Hobfoll's theory which suggest there are measurable affective responses when human resources are expended and thus this theory has applicability to program evaluation.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: B, page: 3554.

Thesis (ED.D.)--STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY, 1993.

School code: 0668.