Personality and self-efficacy as predictors of coping with abortion.
The present study explored the relationships among dispositional optimism, self-esteem, chronic perceptions of control, depression, and self-efficacy in predicting psychological adjustment among women undergoing an abortion. Self-efficacy was found to be a strong, proximal predictor of adjustment, both immediately after the abortion and 3 weeks later. Optimism, perceptions of personal control, and high self-esteem were all related to better postabortion adjustment (mainly through the mediator of increased self-efficacy for coping). In addition, the effects of these three personality variables were found to overlap considerably. Finally, preabortion depression had both direct and indirect (through self-efficacy) effects on adjustment. These effects did not overlap completely with the effects attributable to personality.
Cozzarelli
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Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66502.
D000029:Abortion, Legal; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D011247:Pregnancy; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires