Date of Award

2001

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Clinical.

Supervisor

Towson, Shelagh,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

According to self-determination theory, high environmental choice leads to self-determined forms of motivation which, in turn, lead to psychological adjustment. However, O'Connor and Vallerand (1994b) found that degree of environmental choice and motivational style must be congruent for the optimal psychological adjustment of older adults living in nursing homes. Research also indicates that the psychological adjustment of elderly persons depends on the congruence between environmental choice and health locus of control orientation. The present study sought to gain a better understanding of the relationship between environmental choice, motivational style, and health locus of control orientation in predicting the psychological adjustment of non-institutionalized older adults. Male and female participants over the age of 65 and living in non-institutionalized settings completed measures of environmental choice, motivational style, health locus of control orientation, health, and psychological adjustment. As predicted, environmental choice, motivational style, and health locus of control orientation each made a unique contribution to the prediction of psychological adjustment. However, congruence between environmental choice and personal characteristics did not predict psychological adjustment. Instead, environmental choice, internal health locus of control, and powerful others external health locus of control each contributed independently to psychological adjustment. Motivational style was equivocally related to psychological adjustment. Implications of these results for self-determination theory and person-environment fit models of psychological adjustment are discussed.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2001 .P46. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, page: 1620. Adviser: Shelagh Towson. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2001.

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