Anxiety, information, interpersonal impacts, and adjustment to a stressful health care situation.

40 adult patients scheduled for dental extraction surgery were given either specific or general preparatory information, and this information was presented in either a personalized or relatively impersonal fashion using nonverbal cues. Changes in state anxiety over the course of the experiment were accounted for by individual differences in the Dental Anxiety Scale. The most important determinant of adjustment during surgery was the congruence between specificity of information received and individual differences in preference for information. The finding that high levels of presurgery anxiety are associated with poor adjustment is discussed in terms of I. L. Janis's (1958) model of stress. Ss' perceptions of information-giver hostility and dominance were also significantly (inversely) related to adjustment; the differential impact of informational and interpersonal variables is discussed in terms of moderating characteristics of health care settings. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived locus of control and personal adjustment.

Administered rotter's internal-external control of reinforcement (i-e) scale and the personal orientation inventory (poi), a measure of self-actualization, to 55 male and 55 female undergraduates. For females, the major poi subscale, internal support, was significantly (p     

Misattribution, preparatory information, and speech anxiety.

In two experiments with undergraduate subjects, I compared the effects of misattribution versus information manipulations on speech anxiety. In Experiment 1, some subjects were allegedly exposed to subliminal noise while reading a speech in front of a camera. These subjects were told that subliminal noise makes people feel either unpleasantly aroused or pleasantly relaxed or that it has no effect. Subjects in a fourth condition were given accurate information about how they would feel (unpleasantly aroused) but were not exposed to the subliminal noise misattribution source. In Experiment 2, I replicated the arousing noise and accurate information conditions from the first study and added two new groups incorporating a delay that should preclude misattribution. In both experiments, the alleged presence of arousing subliminal noise reduced subjects' speech dysfluencies during the speech task, whereas the presentation of accurate information alone did not have a comparable ameliorative effect. Thus, both experiments supported the misattribution interpretation of why neutral labels for arousal can reduce emotionality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of stressful life events to social interest, locus of control, and psychological adjustment.

Extended recent research concerning effects of stressful life events. Scores of 46 male and 35 female undergraduates for amount of recent life change correlated positively with symptoms of maladjustment and external locus of control and negatively with social interest. Correlations were larger when life change scores were based only on unpleasant changes rather than on all changes, whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Data also suggest that a minimum amount of stress was necessary before deleterious effects occurred on the variables under study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping, control, and adjustment in type 2 diabetes.

The relationships of both coping strategies and perceived control to psychological and physiological adjustment were investigated in 115 adults (65 women, 50 men) with Type 2 diabetes. Results showed that (a) emotional preoccupation and palliative coping were positively correlated with depression and state anxiety, whereas perceived control was negatively correlated with depression, state anxiety, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c); (b) instrumental coping predicted lower depression; (c) perceived control moderated the relationships between instrumental coping and depression, and emotional preoccupation coping and HbA1c; and (d) emotional preoccupation coping mediated the relationships between perceived control and depression, and perceived control and state anxiety. Results are discussed in terms of the goodness-of-fit hypothesis (V. J. Conway & D. J. Terry, 1992), optimal coping, and the importance of perceived control in psychological and physiological adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Situational factors and the relationship between locus of control and psychological adjustment.

Tested a model of psychological adjustment in which increased internality for some college students occurs as a result of regaining control over stressful environmental events as opposed to learning a different generalized perception of their world. In the 1st of 2 experiments, 123 clients and 271 nonclients assessed their locus of control regarding both recent events and what they considered to be characteristic of themselves. Clients reported greater externality than nonclients for the recent condition but no difference in the characteristic condition. In addition, clients reported greater externality recently than characteristically; nonclients reported no difference. Exp II measured the locus of control and manifest anxiety (Bendig's short form of the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale) of 23 clients and 24 nonclients at pretreatment and posttreatment under the same 2 conditions as in Exp I. A measure of recent life stress (Holmes Social Readjustment Rating Scale) was also completed. Results support the proposed model. Moreover, stress appeared to act as an interface between characteristic internality and situational externality, with the ability to handle stress, and not the amount of stress experienced, being a possible mediating factor. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of health locus of control beliefs and expectations of treatment efficacy in adjustment to cancer.

Examined the effects of health locus of control beliefs (self-, doctor, and chance control) and expectations of treatment efficacy on short-term psychological adjustment in 137 18–86 yr old newly diagnosed cancer patients. The role of these beliefs and expectations in moderating the relation between perceived and actual disease severity and depression was also examined. Ss completed an intake questionnaire assessing the perceived severity of illness, the amount of pain or discomfort they were experiencing, how sad or depressed they were, and expectations about complying with medication instructions; Ss also completed items from Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, the Multi-Dimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, and the Self-Rating Depression Scale. The relation between perceptions of disease severity and depression was weaker for Ss who believed that they could personally control their health and for those who held positive expectations about the effects of complying with medical treatment. Similar patterns were found when disease severity was defined in terms of prognosis for survival. Strong negative correlations between self-control/treatment expectations and depression were found for Ss who perceived that their illness was severe. The results for chance and doctor control were less consistent. The stability of health control beliefs and treatment expectations over the course of a serious long-term illness is discussed. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological adjustment to ostomy surgery.

Describes the anatomy and physiology of colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy surgeries and reviews 16 studies regarding the outcome of these surgeries in terms of patients' health, employment, social activities, sexual functioning, marital relationships, and emotional status. Two studies of factors that influence outcome are also reviewed, and strengths and weaknesses of existing studies are evaluated. Recommendations for further research include grouping patients by diagnosis rather than by type of surgery; more precise labeling of surgical procedures; avoidance of positive bias in sampling by selecting patients from physician and hospital records, rather than from the members of mutual help groups; and use of longitudinal studies to investigate personality and situational variables that influence the process of psychosocial adjustment to ostomy. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of preoperative fear, type of coping, and information recevied about surgery to recovery from surgery

This study investigated the relationship of preoperative level of fear, extent of information seeking (coping), and amount of information received about surgery to recovery from surgery. It was hypothesized that a curvilinear relationship would be found between level of preoperative fear and recovery and between extent of information seeking and recovery; it was also hypothesized that amount of preoperative information obtained would interact with extent of information seeking. The subjects were 57 female patients between the ages of 18 and 68 who were schedule for abdominal surgery. The recovery measures consisted of a self-rating of postoperative negative affect (fear, depression, and anger), number of postoperative analgesics and sedatives received, and total number of days to discharge. No curvilinear relationships were found between preoperative level of fear or type of coping and recovery from surgery. Results showed a linear relationship between level of preoperative fear and recovery, with the least favorable recovery associated with high levels of preoperative fear. A significant interaction was found between level of preoperative fear and amount of preoperative information, with high-fear subjects who reported little preoperative information experiencing the least favorable recovery period. The findings are discussed in terms of the parallel response model proposed by Leventhal.     

Attributions, beliefs about control, and adjustment to breast cancer.

Examined attributions for cancer and beliefs about control over cancer for their association with adjustment to breast cancer. 78 29–78 yr old females with breast cancer served as Ss. Ss were administered a battery of tests that included the Profile of Mood States, Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Although 95% of the Ss made attributions for their cancer, no particular attribution (e.g., stress, diet) was associated with better adjustment. Analyses of attributions of responsibility for the cancer to the self, environment, another person, or chance yielded only a negative relation between adjustment and blaming another person. In contrast, both the belief that one could now control one's cancer and the belief that others (e.g., the physician) could now control the cancer were significantly associated with good adjustment. Of the different types of control, cognitive control was most strongly associated with adjustment, behavior control was less strongly associated with adjustment, and information control and retrospective control were unassociated with adjustment. (56 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Specificity in the assessment of daily hassles: Hassles, locus of control, and adjustment in college students.

Argues that there are important differences in the hassles experienced by various populations and that measures of daily life hassles (DLHs) should be constructed specifically for the particular population being studied. The argument is supported by 2 studies conducted with 413 college students who received a modified version of the Hassles Scale, a multidimensional measure of locus of control, and various measures of adjustment. The Hassles Scale was associated significantly with depression in Study 1 and with depression and anxiety in Study 2. However, the perception of DLHs did not interact with an external locus of control to predict unique variance in adjustment scores in either study. Moreover, it was found in both studies that females gave higher severity ratings to their DLHs. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial adjustment to and control of diabetes mellitus: Differences by disease type and treatment.

Studied the effects of clinically different types of diabetes and different treatment regimes on the psychosocial adjustment to the disease of 56 Ss with insulin dependent diabetes and 372 noninsulin dependent diabetics. The reliability and validity of the Diabetes Educational Profile, developed for assessment in this study, were examined and supported. Diabetes control was related to disease type and treatment. Psychosocial adjustment was related to disease type and treatment, and control was related to psychosocial adjustment. In assessing the clinical status of diabetics, any evaluation that includes psychosocial adjustment or diabetes control must consider the disease type and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived parental characteristics, locus of control orientation, and behavioral correlates of locus of control.

Attempted to ascertain perceived parental behavior associated with locus of control orientation. 112 high school seniors (58 males and 54 females) completed the Nowicki-Strickland Personal Reaction Survey and the Parent-Child Interaction Rating Scale. Generally, perceived paternal nurturance was associated with female internality, and perceived maternal nurturance was associated with male internality. All Ss perceived parents as having a similar locus of control orientation. In Phase 2 of the study, behavior associated with Ss' locus of control and perceived parental locus of control orientation was investigated. Ss' expressed internality was associated with higher achievement for males and with greater social involvement for females. Perceived paternal internality was significantly associated with greater female achievement. Results are discussed in terms of social learning and cultural role-expectancy theory. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of preparatory information on enhancing performance under stress.

Research conducted largely in medical and clinical settings suggests that receiving preparatory information prior to a stressful event can reduce negative responses to stress. Although results within this domain have been promising, little research has examined the efficacy of preparatory information on enhancing performance in a more applied task environment. This study examined the effect of preparatory information on reducing stress reactions and enhancing performance on a realistic decision-making task. Results indicated that those who received preparatory information prior to performing under high-stress conditions reported less anxiety, were more confident in their ability to perform the task, and made fewer performance errors than those who received no preparatory information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trait-state anxiety and adjustment of surgery.

Evaluated the effects of surgery-induced stress on anxiety and the relationship between preoperative state anxiety level and postoperative adjustment using 56 white male 20-65 yr. olds scheduled for surgery. State (A-State) and trait (A-Trait) anxiety were measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A-Trait scores were essentially the same before and after surgery. A-State scores declined slightly from 24 hr. before surgery to 48 hr. after surgery, and decreased markedly in the postoperative convalescence period. The magnitude of decline in A-State was unrelated to severity or type of surgery, surgical history, or S's age. High and low A-Trait Ss showed similar presurgery-postsurgery changes in A-State. Consistent with I. Janis's observation that moderate levels of preoperative fear facilitate recovery from surgery, there was some evidence that A-State level was curvilinearly related to postoperative adjustment. (33 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of preparatory information about sensations, threat of pain, and attention on cold pressor distress.

Three experiments with 170 male undergraduates investigated pain experience conceptualized as a combination of stimulus sensations (e.g., aching) and emotional distress. In Exp I, less distress was reported to cold pressor stimulation by Ss first told about stimulus sensations than by Ss who were uninformed or were told about symptoms of bodily arousal (e.g., tension). Adding a pain warning to sensation information blocked distress reduction, presumably by eliciting an emotional interpretation of the stimulus. In Exp II, Ss attending only to hand sensations reported less distress than Ss attending to their bodies. This decrease in the power of the stimulus to provoke emotion is presumably mediated by a schema of hand sensations formed by attention. In Exp III, Ss attending to hand sensations early in the immersion and distracting themselves later reported the same low levels of distress as did Ss who attended to hand sensations throughout. Ss distracted throughout and Ss attending to hand sensations later showed no distress reduction. Therefore, stimulus schematization must precede distress reduction. (64 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived past, present, and future control and adjustment to stressful life events.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 100(4) of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (see record 2011-05716-005). There is an error on page 758. In the sentence “Present control predicted later event-specific distress in Sample 1( β = .17, p     

Learning disabilities, locus of control, and mother attitudes.

Academic locus of control and mothers' school-related reactions and expectations were studied in 81 learning disabled (LD) and 81 normally achieving (control) children in Grades 3–6. The Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire, the Intellectual subscale of the Parent Reaction Questionnaire, and the Parents Version of the Projected Academic Performance Scale were used. LD Ss indicated more external perceptions of control with respect to successful academic experiences. For failure outcomes, no difference between LD and control Ss was found; however, a trend toward increased internality was noted over grade levels for both groups. Mothers of LD Ss reported more negative and fewer positive reactions to their children. They also held lower academic performance expectations for their children than control mothers. Results are discussed in terms of the need to develop more internal control perceptions in LD children and the role of parental attitudes and expectations in school learning. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role ambiguity, locus of control, and work satisfaction.

Administered a questionnaire containing Rotter's Internal-External Control Scale, a measure of role ambiguity, and 2 measures of job satisfaction to 94 scientists and engineers employed in an electronics firm. Results indicate that locus of control was related to both role ambiguity and satisfaction and that locus of control provided a greater independent contribution to satisfaction than did role ambiguity. Implications for interpreting scores on measures of role ambiguity are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of depression, sociopathy, and locus of control to treatment outcome in alcoholics.

Studied depression, sociopathy, and results of the Levenson Tridimensional Locus of Control Scale in 4 groups of veteran male alcoholics (a total of 98 Ss, mean ages 43.5–50.8 yrs) who varied as to degree of benefit from therapeutic programs, and a group of 27 male controls (mean age 37 yrs). Higher depression scores were found in those groups that appeared to benefit less from treatment than those groups that had successful treatment outcomes. Neither sociopathy nor locus of control orientation were related directly to therapeutic benefit except for external control by chance, which predicted outcome in recidivists. Correlations between external control by powerful others vs depression in more successful groups and between external control by chance vs sociopathy in the less successful treatment groups suggest that these relationships might be productively pursued in future research. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)