Internal Locus Research Articles

Attributes Required for Entrepreneurs of Self-Help Groups (SHGS) Involved in the Development of Microenterprises

Under the pathetic and uneasy conditions the rural poor face, microfinance activity acts as the saviour to redeem them from the clutches of poverty and unemployment. The present study was conducted to examine the influence of entrepreneurial attributes of members of SHGs in the effectiveness of microfinance services for agro-enterprise development by the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Kerala. The study was conducted in ex-post facto design, in the three purposively selected districts of the three zones of Kerala, namely, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Malappuram. The effectiveness of microfinance services was calculated individually from the scores obtained for each respondent and the average score of members in a group constituted the effectiveness score of the group. The independent samples t-test was employed to find out the significant difference in entrepreneurial characteristics score with the effectiveness of microfinance services. Also, a correlation analysis was performed between entrepreneurial characteristics and the effectiveness of microfinance services. The correlation analysis of the entrepreneurial characteristics of the SHG members and the effectiveness of microfinance services revealed that ‘achievement motivation’, ‘innovativeness’, ‘thrift tendency’, ‘strategic visioning’ and ‘internal locus of control’ were positively and significantly correlated with the effectiveness of microfinance services at one per cent level of significance, whereas ‘economic opportunism’ was positively and significantly correlated with the effectiveness of microfinance services at five per cent level of significance. The independent samples t-test revealed that the entrepreneurial abilities of the members of SHG largely influenced the effectiveness of microfinance services for agro-enterprise development rather than other factors like the nature of agro-enterprises which was usually selected through micro screening techniques. The study necessitates a severe need of the establishment of business schools for youth to develop their entrepreneurial traits as well as better governance, especially in the agro sector.

Marital Adjustment, Spiritual Well-Being, and Locus of Control in Married Couples

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between marital adjustment, spiritual well-being, and locus of control in married couples. A total of 526 married individuals living in İzmir, Turkey, 283 (53.8%) women and 243 (46.2%) men between the ages of 18 and 65, participated in the research. The married individuals were evaluated individually rather than as couples. The of control scale (LCS) developed by Dağ, the marital adjustment test (MAT) developed by Locke and Wallace and adapted into Turkish by Tutarel Kışlak, the spiritual well-being scale (SWBS) developed by Ekşi and Kardaş, and a socio-demographic information form were applied to the participants. SPSS 22.0 was used for statistical analysis of the data obtained in the study. The findings were evaluated at a 5% significance level within a 95% confidence interval (p < 0.05). The findings of the study revealed that the marital adjustment of male participants was higher than that of females, and that as spiritual well-being increased, marital adjustment also increased. A positive relationship was found between transcendence, one of the sub-dimensions of spiritual well-being, and marital adjustment and internal locus of control. Similarly, a positive correlation was identified between harmony with nature and marital adjustment and internal locus of control, while a negative relationship was found between anomie and marital adjustment and internal locus of control. Moreover, negative and significant relationships were found between marital adjustment and external locus of control determinants such as belief in luck, meaninglessness of making an effort, belief in an unjust world, and anomie, one of the sub-dimensions of spiritual well-being. Additionally, a positive relationship was found between higher education and internal locus of control, and a positive relationship between marriages conducted between the ages of 17 and 20 and an external locus of control.

The Role of Self-efficacy and Locus of Control on Work Readiness Among Gen Z

As a generation who start entering the work force. Gen Z faces unique challenges and opportunities as they transition from education to employment. One issues that come up from this transition was readiness to work. The study explored how self-efficacy and locus of control influence work readiness in Generation Z. The research method use was quantitative research with multiple regression statistic to analyse the data. Respondents of the research were 70 students higher education in the last year ((M= 17; F= 53) and mean of age = 20.9 (20 years 10 months). The data were collect with questionnaire of general self-efficacy, locus of control and work readiness. The result show that self-efficacy significantly influence to work readiness, and locus of control did not influence to work readiness among generation Z. Based on this finding it can see that to improve the students’ readiness to work, the intervention of self-efficacy was more useful than locus of control. This model suggests that training programs or interventions aimed at enhancing self-efficacy may be more effective in increasing work readiness than those that concentrate solely on the internal locus of control, especially among generation Z with all the uniqueness.

The effect of hybrid classes on extrinsically motivated students

Emerging from the Covid19 pandemic, many higher education institutions rapidly improvised teaching students in a hybrid mode that concurrently combined online and in-person instruction. The varied engagement results from students and staff prompted many institutions to reconsider this hybrid approach (Raes et al., 2020), with opinions of both students and teachers divided on the merits of returning to an in-person classroom. While some studies (Peng & Wei, 2021) noted success at the ‘juggling act’ of supporting both an in-person class and an online class simultaneously, more studies found the emerging technology, split focus, resourcing and unfamiliar instructions to be a disengaging classroom experience (Aagaard et al, 2023). A lack of clear and quantitative evidence has been noted as a key issue with many of the studies of hybrid learning (Raes et al, 2020). The improvised nature of many pandemic teaching responses and the many variables that may confound engagement results, prompts a more considered and deliberate re-examination of hybrid learning which takes into account the motivational needs of students. If a student is motivated to attend a hybrid classroom, their subsequent evaluations of the experience seem likely to be related to their initial motives, expectations and reasons for attending. The lens of Self Determination Theory (SDT) offers a range of insights into the type of motivation felt by students and enables the disambiguation of whether a student is motivated intrinsically or extrinsically (Ryan & Deci, 2017). Intrinsic motivation being characterised by an internal locus of control –arising spontaneously from within. Extrinsic motivation conversely is characterised by an external locus of control – motivation is controlled by outside factors and compulsions that a student feels they ought to follow. Deci and Ryan’s Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) offers us additional insights into three descriptive sub-types of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation – autonomy, relatedness and mastery. The idea that an unfulfilled need for personal relatedness in some students might relate to levels of student engagement online and in-person was hoped might explain some of variable engagement responses from students. This presentation tells the story of how hundreds of students responded to a synchronous concurrent hybrid classroom intervention across four weeks of an otherwise online subject. Utilising high-quality hybrid learning technology available at the time, the advanced Class.com interface and a well-adapted pedagogy the journey of students with differing motivational needs was explored using the lens of Deci and Ryan’s (2017) IMI. Through regression modelling, network analysis and a broad analysis of associated demographic factors it was found in particular that low ATAR students with extrinsic motivation were more disengaged by the hybrid classroom environment, in comparison to other motivational subgroups. Contrary to expectation, students with a motivational need for relatedness were not found to respond differently to hybrid learning compared with other motivational subgroups. Recommendations for future iterations of synchronous concurrent hybrid classrooms and research are offered.

The Effectiveness of Individual Intervention Based on Reality Therapy in Individuals Under Probation Due to Substance Use

ÖZET The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of individual intervention based on reality therapy in individuals under probation due to substance use. While conducting the research using the mixed-method approach, a single-subject experimental design was employed in the research’s quantitative dimension and employed a case study was done in its qualitative dimension. Two females and five males participated in the research. It was found that following the experimental intervention, there was a tendency for all participants to experience an increase in the levels of love/belonging, power and entertainment needs, as well as partially meeting freedom needs and increasing internal locus of control and responsibility levels.

Unfolding the aggression and locus of control paradigm in sportspersons and non-sportspersons

The present study investigated Aggression and Locus of Control on Combat Sports Persons, Non-Combat Sports Persons, and Non-Sports Persons. In this study, a sample of 240 individuals (80 Combat sports, 80 Non-Combat Sports & 80 Non-Sportspersons) was used through purposive sampling. The tools administered were the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire by Arnold H. Buss and Mark Perry and Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale by Julian Rotter respectively. The objective of the study was to investigate Aggression and Locus of Control in males and females from Combat, Non-Combat, and Non-Sports persons. This research also aims to explore the relationship between Aggression and Locus of Control. Mean, t-test, F-value (ANOVA), and correlation have been computed over SPSS-16. Results suggest that males from Combat have higher Aggression than people from non-sports and non-combat sports. There is also a significant difference between non-sports persons and sports people over the Locus of Control, sports persons showed internal locus of control compared to non-sports persons who were higher on external locus of control. The result also indicates a significant relationship between the anger dimension of the Aggression and Locus of Control.

Resilience and coping styles in family caregivers of terminally ill patients: A cross-sectional survey.

Coping styles can be improved by dyadic palliative care interventions and may alleviate patients' and family caregivers' distress. Moreover, family caregivers' preloss resilience protects against depression after bereavement. This study aimed to determine the types of coping styles can be encouraged to increase resilience. A self-reported questionnaire survey was administered to family caregivers at the 4 palliative care units, and their resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and their coping styles were assessed using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced, as well as their background characteristics. Among 291 caregivers with a mean CD-RISC score of 56.2 (standard deviation: 16.13), internal locus of control, educational level, and history of psychotropic drug use were associated with resilience. After adjusting for the aforementioned factors, more frequent use of positive coping styles such as active coping (Spearman's ρ = 0.29), acceptance (ρ = 0.29), positive reframing (ρ = 0.29), planning (ρ = 0.24), and humor (ρ = 0.18), was found to be associated with higher resilience. On the contrary, more frequent use of negative coping styles such as behavioral disengagement (ρ = -0.38), self-blame (ρ = -0.27), and denial (ρ = -0.14) was found to be associated with less resilience. By assessing internal locus of control, educational level, and history of psychotropic medication use of family caregivers, as factors associated with their respective resilience, may help identify less resilient family caregivers who are at risk for developing major depression after bereavement. In addition, coping skill-based educational interventions targeting patients and their family caregivers that focus on specific coping styles associated with resilience may increase family caregivers' resilience, resulting in less emotional distress and a lower risk of major depression after bereavement.

Service before self: exploring resilience and locus of control in the frontline service effort behavior

PurposeDrawing on the conservation of resource (COR) theory, this study examines the direct relationships between customer incivility and service effort behavior with psychological resilience mediating this association. Furthermore, the study also explores the moderated-mediation effect of internal locus of control.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were carried out, employing a time-lagged approach. In study 1, data were collected from 422 frontline service employees in the hospitality sector. This was followed by Study 2 in which data were collected from 530 frontline service employees in banking and retail industries. The data were analyzed using SPSS PROCESS macros and AMOS.FindingsThe results specified that customer incivility negatively influences service effort behavior among frontline service employees. Moreover, it was also found that psychological resilience mediated the negative association between customer incivility and service effort behavior. Finally, the results show that the moderated-mediation effect of internal locus of control was also supported.Originality/valueThe study is an attempt to broaden the frontier of customer incivility and highlight how it affects service effort behavior. The findings also highlight the mediating role of psychological resilience between customer incivility and service effort behavior. Moreover, this study makes an enriching contribution by exploring the moderating role of internal locus of control. To the best of our knowledge, such associations remain outside the purview of previous examinations.

Predictors of oral healthcare utilization and satisfaction among Indian migrants and the host population in the Netherlands

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to explore predictors associated with reasons for visiting an oral healthcare professional (OHP) and satisfaction with OHPs in the Netherlands among the Indian migrants and the host population.MethodsA random sample was obtained for this cross-sectional questionnaire study. Variables were classified according to the Andersen Behavioural Model of Health Services Utilization. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify significant predictors for reasons for visiting an oral healthcare professional (OHP) (routine checkups and preventive care or visiting only for pain and/or treatment) and satisfaction with OHPs (satisfied or dissatisfied).ResultsThe sample consisted of 391 participants (Indian migrants = 147 and host population = 244). Indian migrants with higher internal locus of control (LoC) [OR = 7.73 (95% CI: 2.13;27.99)], more trust in OHPs [OR = 4.12 (95% CI:1.68;10.14)] and higher integration level [OR = 1.09 (95% CI:1.03;1.17)] had higher odds of visiting an OHP for routine checkups and preventive care. In the host population, having dental insurance [OR = 2.64 (95% CI:1.00;6.95)] was significantly associated with increased odds of visiting an OHP for routine checkups and preventive care. For satisfaction, Indians with low paid jobs [OR = 16.26 (95% CI:2.83;93.36)] and those with higher integration levels [OR = 1.29 (95% CI:1.16;1.42)] had higher odds of being satisfied with the Dutch OHPs. Among the host population, those with more trust in OHPs [OR = 2.86 (95% CI:1.19;6.88)] had higher odds of being satisfied.ConclusionOur study emphasize that integration levels and trust emerged as two crucial factors, policy makers can leverage upon to improve access to care for Indian migrants.Clinical trialN.A as this is a survey based cross sectional study.

German medical students’ views regarding Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundMyalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a challenging disease pattern and has gained increasing scientific and public interest in recent years due to the Corona pandemic and Long-Covid. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) medical students’ health-related control beliefs, (2) students’ awareness and views about ME/CFS at the beginning of their medical education, and (3) to examine whether there are correlations between students’ health-related control beliefs and their views about ME/CFS.MethodsA cross-sectional online-survey was conducted in October 2020 with all new medical students at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Technical University Munich.ResultsA total of 251 students completed the survey, representing a response rate of 27.0% (251/929). The examined health related locus of control of the students was predominantly internal oriented. Students’ awareness about ME/CFS at the beginning of their medical education were found to be low: 46,8% (117/250) of the students surveyed disagreed that they have heard or read about ME/CFS and 81,6% (204/250) disagreed that they feel sufficiently well informed about the disease. A possible correlation between students’ health-related locus of control and their views regarding ME/CFS-specific issues was found: The higher the students’ internal locus of control, the less they favored a strict separation of mental and physical suffering in medical practice, the less they believed that psychological causes for an illness should only be sought when no physically objective causes could be found, and the less they agreed that there is no indication for therapy if a disease is not objectively detectable.ConclusionsAs ME/CFS is a medical challenge and increasingly relevant in medical practice, the fact that 50% of medical students have never heard of this disease underscores the need for awareness and education. We found that the majority students in the sample largely have an internal health related locus of control. They rate their own influence on their health higher than those with an externally oriented control conviction.

The “locus continuum” of price increase perception – Is communicating a good cause for price increases always beneficial?

Purpose Governmental regulations aiming to protect environmental goals often require firms to increase sales prices with negative consequences on price fairness perception. Companies might therefore either justify the price increase by highlighting the good cause (environmental framing) or they could blame the government for the regulation (governmental framing). Firms might also communicate their investments in the relationship to motivate customers to stay. This paper aims to examine the impact of such communication content on price increase fairness perception and switching intention in a contractual service setting. Design/methodology/approach This paper first examines the content of 119 price increase letters from electricity suppliers in a qualitative pilot study. The main study then tests our research framework with 552 respondents using a 2 x 2 x 2 between-subjects experimental scenario design (manipulating framing, effort and regret communication). Findings Customers perceive governmental framing as fairer than environmental framing. Effort and regret communication by firms weaken or reverse this effect. They reduce customers’ fairness perception for the governmental framing, while regret communication increases it for the environmental framing. However, regret communication also increases switching intention in both framings through a strong direct effect. Research limitations/implications Cost-induced price increases are perceived on a “locus continuum” on which reason-framing and relationship investments can shift the consumer perception. Future studies may apply our framework in different industries and contexts. Practical implications The results provide guidelines for communicating price increases. Firms should prefer a governmental framing and they should also hesitate to communicate relationship investments, which signal internal locus of the firm, such as effort or regret. Originality/value Our results question the naive assumption of general positive effects of environmental framings and relationship investments on customer responses. Based on a new view on attributions of cost-caused price increases, we suggest and find several counterintuitive results. We argue that the framing and relationship investments shift the cause perception of an external cost increase on the attributional locus continuum.

Psycho-Social Predictors of Parental Involvement in Academic Activities of Junior Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt Metropolis

This study investigated psycho-social predictors of parental involvement in the academic activities of junior secondary school students in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The study was guided by four research questions and their corresponding null hypotheses. The design for the study was correlational research design. The population of the study consisted of 16,835 parents of 24,343 JSS3 students (Source: School Board, 2024) from 278 public secondary school students in Port Harcourt Metropolis (Post Primary Education Board, 2024). A sample of 689 parents who are alive and can read and write, as reported by their children (The JSS3 students) was used for the study. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in drawing the sample. Four instruments were used for the study. They are, Self-efficacy Scale (SES), Locus of Control Scale (LCS) Family Conflict Scale (FCS) and Parental Involvement Scale (PIS). The validity of the instruments were done by two experts in Educational Psychology. To ensure the reliability of the instruments Cronbach alpha () technique was used. The alpha coefficients of 0.75, 0.82, 0.67 and 0.76 were obtained for family conflict, self-efficacy, locus of control and parental involvement scale respectively. Multiple regression, simple regression and ANOVA were used for data analysis. Research questions 1 and 3 were answered using simple regression, research question 2 and 4 were answered using multiple regression. Hypotheses I and 3 were tested using ANOVA associated with simple regression while hypotheses 2 and 4 were tested using ANOVA associated with multiple regression. All analyses were done at 0.05 alpha level. Results revealed among others that self-efficacy did not significantly predict parental involvement in the academic activities of junior secondary school students in Port Harcourt Metropolis while locus of control and family conflict significantly predicted parental involvement in the academic activities of junior secondary school students in Port Harcourt Metropolis. It was recommended amongst others that parents should always make effort to exhibit internal locus of control as this will help them get better involved in the academic activities of their children.

A conceptual framework for psychiatric nurses to facilitate medication compliance among adults living with depression.

Medication non-compliance is a significant healthcare issue that is widespread. Extensive research has identified factors that contribute to medication non-compliance in different healthcare settings. As a result, there was a need to develop a conceptual framework to facilitate medication compliance among adults living with depression. The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for psychiatric nurses to facilitate medication compliance among adults living with depression. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised to investigate the experiences of adults living with depression who are non-compliant with medication. The study consisted of three phases: an empirical phase, a classification of concepts and a development phase. Following the empirical phase, a conceptual framework was developed based on the classified concepts. Three sets of results were merged for the cross-validation analysis, combining findings from the systematic review, the researcher's previously conducted and published minor dissertation and the current study. A conceptual framework was developed to assist psychiatric nurses in effectively promoting an internal locus of control among adults living with depression. The resulting conceptual framework provides valuable insights and serves as a valuable tool for future research endeavours aimed at enhancing medication compliance among adults living with depression.Contribution:This framework serves as a valuable guide for future studies that aim to explore medication compliance among adults living with depression, specifically by focussing on the concept of internal locus of control.

Maternal/paternal helicopter parenting and school adjustment in adolescents: The mediating roles of internal and external academic locus of control

There is little evidence regarding the impact of helicopter parenting (HP) on adolescents’ school adjustment (SA). This study examined gender differences in maternal/paternal HP, internal/external academic locus of control (ALC) and SA, and the mediating effect of internal/external ALC in the relationship between maternal/paternal HP and SA in adolescents. The participants of the study were 447 adolescents. The results revealed no significant gender differences in study variables except for external ALC. Adolescent boys indicated significantly higher levels of external ALC than girls. HP predicted ALC and SA, and internal/external ALC had a mediating role in the relationship between HP and SA. This study provides important insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand the effects of maternal/paternal HP on adolescent SA. The results of our study suggest that HP may be associated with lower SA among adolescents and that internal ALC may be a key mechanism in this relationship.

The influences of internal work locus of control on knowledge loss and organizational performance: role of job rotation in Chinese construction firms

The influences of internal work locus of control on knowledge loss and organizational performance: role of job rotation in Chinese construction firms

Hierarchy of value orientations and locus of control for students with disabilities

Introduction. Inclusive higher education is based on the principle of humanity and addresses the personal values of students. The purpose of the research is to examine the hierarchy of values and locus of control for students with disabilities. Materials and methods. Sample: 93 students aged 17 to 28. Methods: Rokeach Value Survey and the Level of Subjective Control questionnaire. Statistical processing methods: Mann-Whitney U test, mean values ranking procedure, binomial distribution procedure. Results. Students with disabilities attach high importance to both interpersonal relationships and independence. Students with disabilities more often have an external locus of control, particularly in the spheres of health, failure, family and, above all, industrial relations, but there is a small group of respondents with an internal locus of control. Respondents attributed their achievements and interpersonal relationships to both themselves and external factors. Respondents with an internal locus of control place higher values on a financial security and entertainment, while respondents with an external locus of control place higher values of mature love and a happy family life. Conclusions. Students with disabilities have different values and types of locus of control. Comparative analysis revealed differences between students with congenital and acquired disabilities, as well as students with internal and external locus of control. The research expands the perception of students with disabilities. This will allow you to get closer to solving the urgent problems of their adaptation and interaction with teachers and students. The research is of interest to psychologists and educators.

The relationship between internet addiction and socio-psychological adaptation in adolescents

Introduction. Socio-psychological adaptation occurs when a person interacts with the social environment. You can see how the Internet space is replacing live communication with digital communication. Adolescents between the ages of 14 and 16 have increased rates of personality development, which arouses interest in this study. The paper analyzes the socio-psychological adaptation of Internet-addicted adolescents. Materials and Methods. The study involved 205 9th grade students, among them 44 % of male and 56 % of female students. The average age of the respondents is 15-16 years old. Psychological methods were used in the course of the study. The study was carried out on the basis of MOBU Secondary Educational School No. 10 named after Bely S. I. Sochi in the 2022/23 academic year. The scale of "Internet addiction" (S. Chen (CTAS), the questionnaire of "Socio-psychological adaptation" (K. Rogers, R. Diamond and adapted by T. V. Snegireva (1987); A.M. Parishioners (2005), preference questionnaire. Results. The results of the study. It was found that out of 205 adolescent students, 17 % have formed and sustained Internet-dependent behavior. The correlation analysis showed the presence of a relationship between Internet addiction and socio-psychological adaptation in adolescents. Teenagers who are addicted to the Internet have a tendency: to neurotic deviation, the presence of intrapersonal conflicts, complications in decision-making, rejection of others. The need for communication, the desire for dominance, the form of internal locus of control, adaptability to the requirements of society, self-esteem, time management and adaptability are reduced. Discussion and Conclusions. Based on the results of an empirical study, we can talk about the connection between Internet-dependent behavior and socio-psychological adaptation in adolescents.

Разработка опросника «Шкала финансовой автономности личности» и его психометрическая проверка на группе предпенсионеров

Relevance: the issues of studying subjective qualities of the pre-retiree’s personality, including their financial autonomy, are of particular relevance due to economic instability and uncertainty. The present article is devoted to the problem of measuring financial autonomy in the situation of retirement planning which is one of the indicators of economic and psychological maturity of a person. The purpose of the work is to conduct a psychometric test of the original author’s questionnaire “Individual’s Financial Autonomy Scale” (T. V. Drobysheva, I. V. Larionov, S. V. Tarasov). Hypothesis: an individual’s financial autonomy scale has a one-dimensional structure and is associated with internal locus control and autonomy interpreted as the individual’s independence. Participants: 215 pre-retirees (from 45 to 63 years old) living in different regions of the Russian Federation including 108 women and 107 men, 49% are working and 51% are unemployed. Techniques (tools): subscale “Autonomy” of K. Ryff’s Scale of Psychological Well-Being (adapted by T. D. Shevelenkova, T. P. Fesenko), the Subjective Control Level Questionnaire (compiled by E. F. Bazhin, E. A. Golynkina, L. M. Etkind); the results were processed with the help of the software packages IBM SPSS.22.0, IBM AMOS 19.0, Jamovi 2.4.11. Results: the initial standardization of the questionnaire has been carried out. A check for normality and internal consistency has been performed. The study has evaluated the factor structure, discriminatory power and convergent validity of the questionnaire. The results show that the Individual’s Financial Autonomy Scale has a one-factor structure and is characterized by high indicators of psychometric reliability. Main conclusions: the Individual’s Financial Autonomy Scale is a reliable tool that measures financial autonomy as the ability of a person to manage their finances regardless of the opinions of others, to make appropriate decisions and to take responsibility for them, as well as to monitor their financial state. The study describes differences in the degree of autonomy in different groups of pre-retirees. The practical significance of the research is determined by the necessity to provide targeted assistance to pre-retirees in planning their retirement on the basis of the financial autonomy indicators measured with the scale.

Physical health mindsets and information avoidance

Health mindsets refer to beliefs about the malleability (growth mindset) versus stability (fixed mindset) of physical health and have gained traction as a predictor of health beliefs and behaviors. Across two studies, we tested whether health mindsets were associated with avoiding personalized health risk information. In Study 2, we also tested whether conceptually-related constructs of internal and chance health locus of control, health self-efficacy, fatalism, and genetic determinism were associated with information avoidance. Health mindsets were manipulated in Study 1 (college students, n = 284; 79.58% female; Mage = 19.74) and measured in Study 2 (participants recruited through MTurk, n = 735; 42.04% female; Mage = 35.78). In both studies, participants viewed a prediabetes infographic and were informed they could learn their prediabetes risk by completing an online risk calculator. Behavioral obligation was also manipulated in both studies to test whether an additional behavioral requirement associated with learning one’s risk would exacerbate any negative impact of health mindsets on avoidance rates. All participants then indicated their interest in learning their prediabetes risk (avoidance intentions) and decided whether to complete the online risk calculator (avoidance behavior). In Study 1, there was no impact of health mindsets, behavioral obligation, or their interaction on avoidance intentions or behavior. Study 2 similarly did not provide consistent evidence for an association of health mindsets, behavioral obligation, or their interaction with avoidance intentions or behavior. However, in Study 2, internal health locus of control was consistently associated with both intentions and behavior. Health information avoidance may be a barrier to prevention and early detection of disease. To encourage individuals to learn potentially important health information, public health interventions might seek to increase people’s beliefs that their own actions play a role in their health outcomes. Interventions may also seek to increase people’s knowledge about and skills regarding improving their health outcomes, which may influence health locus of control beliefs.

Oral healthcare beliefs among home care services personnel; a cross-sectional study in south-eastern Norway

BackgroundThere is little knowledge about home care services personnel competencies and beliefs concerning oral healthcare for home-dwelling, dependent older adults. This study aims to map oral healthcare beliefs among home care services personnel, and have the following question: How do the education level, years of work experience and training in oral health have impact on home care services personnel oral healthcare beliefs?MethodsA cross-sectional study among home care services personnel working with older people receiving home care services was conducted across four municipalities in south-eastern Norway. The questionnaire consisted of background information (gender, education level, years of work experience, training in oral healthcare, employment status) and the nursing Dental Coping Beliefs scale. Ethics approval for this study was obtained from the Norwegian Centre for Research Data.ResultsTwo hundred and sixty-two homecare services personnel responded to the questionnaire, 16.5% males and 83.5% females; 40.5% had had training in oral healthcare. Home care services personnel believed that gum diseases and cavities can be prevented by dental flossing (61.4%) and toothbrushing (98.4%). 59% disagreed that preventing sickness and medicines from destroying teeth is impossible. However, the majority of the home care services personnel were uncertain about how oral mucosal disorders can be treated. Having more than three years of higher education was positively associated with being in higher quartiles of oral healthcare beliefs, and external locus of control, and having training in oral healthcare was positively associated with being in the lower quartiles of internal locus of control and self-efficacy dimensions. Males were more likely to be in the lower quartile of oral healthcare beliefs, which wasn’t positive.ConclusionIn the population studied, the home care services personnel beliefs about oral healthcare improved with an increasing level of education and having had training in oral healthcare. This suggests that home care services personnel need more education and training in oral healthcare.