Psychological determinants of self-care for health among fathers with small children

Abstract

<b>Background</b><br /> Care of own health is statistically determined by many variables. The authors of the article focused exclusively on objective stable factors such as personality traits and health valuation. The conducted research study aimed at assessment of correlations between self-care for health and its psychological constituents such as personality traits, health locus of control, self-efficacy, positive and negative affect as well as health valuation examined in the population of fathers of small children.<br /> <br /> <b>Participants and procedure</b><br /> The examinations included 77 fathers aged between 30 and 40 who filled out the following questionnaires: NEO-FFI Inventory, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, List of Criteria for Health, Health Value Scale and Care-for-Health Scale.<br /> <br /> <b>Results</b><br /> Positive correlations were noted between the general level of individual health self-care (including an active attitude towards own health and practices for health) and health valuation, extroversion, conscientiousness, self-efficacy, external health locus of control – influence of others (or powerful others) and positive emotionality. Negative correlations were detected between health self-care (in general and within particular health scales) and neuroticism and negative affect.<br /> The following factors proved statistically significant for self-care for health: health valuation, personality traits, and external health locus of control – influence of others.<br /> <br /> <b>Conclusions</b><br /> In the selected group of men the strongest correlation between health self-care and health valuation both in physical (practices for health) and psycho-social (active attitude toward own health) aspects was observed. Ascertaining health self-care predictors can be useful for constructing health self-care promotion programs to address the parents of small children.