Bepalende persoonlikheidskenmerke in die salutogeniese paradigma

Abstract

In hierdie navorsing is die waarde van salutogenese as paradigma in gesondheid­

sielkunde krities beskou en salutogenese as konstruk ondersoek. Antonvosky (1979) se aanspraak dat salutogenese 'n nuwe paradigma verteenwoordig, is krities teen die agtergrond van Kuhn se wetenskapsbeskouing en die metaforiese gebruik van die paradigmabegrip in die geesteswetenskappe geevalueer. Met die navorsing is bevind dat salutogenese wei as paradigma in gesondheidsielkunde funksioneer. Die verskille tussen salutogenese en patogenese in terme van aannames. metodologie, teoretiese onderbou en gedeelde waardes is om voldoende tot die slotsom te kom dat salutogenese in die vorm van 'n mini-revolusie akkumulatief tot navorsingsprestasie bydra. Daar word aanbeveel dat die paradigma eksplisiet gestel word ten einde navorsing volgens die salutogeniese beginsels te rig.

Ten einde die konstruk 'salutogenese' te belig en bepalende persoonlikheidskenmerke in die salutogeniese paradigma te identifiseer, is 'n steekproef van 1983 voorgraadse studente aan UNISA geselekteer, in twee groepe verdeel, naamlik Blankes en Ander,

en vraelyste wat koherensiebelewing, persoonlikheidsgehardheid, potensie, aangeleerde vindingrykheid, lokus van kontrole en selfdoeltreffendheid meet, is afgeneem. Die onderliggende dimensies van die konstrukte is deur faktorontleding blootgele. Produkmomentkorrelasies is bereken en tweede- ordefaktorontledings en bevestigende faktoranalises is uitgevoer.

Die empiriese resultate dui daarop dat vir die Blankes aldie persoonlikheidskenmerke tot die konstruk bygedra het, terwyl aangeleerde vindingrykheid nie by die Ander tot salutogenese bygedra het nie. In terme van bepalende persoonlikheidskenmerke is by die Blankes bevind dat salutogenese uit twee tot drie dimensies bestaan. 'n Optimistiese lewensuitkyk, aktiewe betrokkenheid by die omgewing, spesifieke gedragsvaardighede wat streshantering vergemaklik en 'n persepsie van hulpbron­ beskikbaarheid is die ge'ldentifiseerde bepalende salutogeniese kenmerke. Vir die Ander het resultate aangetoon dat salutogenese 'n eendimensionele konstruk

is wat verteenwoordigend is van 'n individu wat oor 'n optimistiese lewensuitkyk beskik, stimuli as verstaanbaar en betekenisvol waarneem en op grond daarvan aktief by die leefwereld betrokke is. Salutogenese manifesteer dus verskillend by die onderskeie kultuurgroepe en die onderliggende meganismes en dinamika wat tot salutogenese lei, toon oak kulturele verskille. Bevestigende faktorontledingsresultate toon aan dat al die dimensies van salutogenese nog nie gei"dentifiseer is nie en daar word aanbeveel dat salutogenese verder binne 'n oorkoepelende persoonlikheidsteorie ondersoek meet word. In bedryfsielkundige praktyk kan salutogenese gebruik word om stres­ weerbaarheid te verhoog.

In this research salutogenesis as new paradigm in health psychology was critically evaluated and salutogenesis as construct was clarified. Antonovsky's claim that salutogenesis is a new paradigm was evaluated against the background of Kuhn's view of science and the metaphorical use of the term 'paradigm' in the social sciences. This research concludes that salutogenesis is indeed a new paradigm in health psychology. Salutogenesis and pathogenesis differ sufficiently in terms of assumptions, methodology, specific theories and shared values that salutogenesis, as a mini revolution, contributes to accumulative scientific performance. The paradigm should however be stated explicitly in order to govern research according to salutogenic values.

In order to clarify salutogenesis as construct and to identify determining personality characteristics in the salutogenic paradigm, a sample of 1983 undergraduate students from Unisa was selected, divided into two groups, namely Whites and Other, and questionnaires measuring sense of coherence, hardiness, potency, learned

resourcefulness, locus of control and self-efficacy were administered. Factor analysis clarified the constructs' underlying dimensions. Product moment correlations were calculated, second-order and confirmatory factor analysis performed in order to clarify the structure of salutogenesis.

The results identified that for the Whites all the personality characteristics contributed while learned resourcefulness did not contribute to salutogenesis for the other group. In terms of determining personality characteristics it was found for the White group that salutogenesis is a two or three dimensional construct consisting of an optimistic outlook and active participation in life's demands, specific behavioral skills that aid stress management and a perception of resource availability. For the other group, results indicated that salutogenesis is a unidimensional construct

which is respresentative of an individual that has an optimistic outlook on life, evaluates

stimuli as comprehensible and is actively involved in his/her own life. Salutogenesis thus manifest differently in different cultures and the underlying mechanisms and dynamics, leading to a salutogenic orientation, show cultural differences. Confirmatory factor analysis indicate that all dimensions of salutogenesis have not been identified and it is recommended that salutogenesis be studied within a broad personality theory. Salutogenesis can be used in industrial psychology to enhance individual stress resistance.