Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2009
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Julie Patrick
Abstract
Health promoting behaviors are typically categorized as behaviors that move individuals towards optimal health while concurrently decreasing one's susceptibility to disease and illness (Becker & Arnold, 2004; Breslow, 1999). When compared to other developmental age periods, less is known about health promotion in midlife (Merrill & Verbrugge, 1999). Thus, the present study examined the relations among demographic variables, future time perspective, internal health locus of control, and middle-aged adults' engagement in health promotion. Data from 109 middle-aged adults between the ages of 40 and 66 were collected via an online survey. Results indicated that the data fit the model poorly chi2 (df = 6;N = 109) = 13.791 p < .05), CFI = .867, TLI = .667, RMSEA = .110. Despite the poor fit, the path model accounted for a substantial amount of variance in health promotion ( R2 = .30). The model indicated that future time perspective and internal health locus of control were associated with engagement in health promotion. In addition, both age and adults' perceptions of the severity of their chronic health conditions were associated with future time perspective. Findings from this study may help inform the design of health interventions. Specifically, results suggest that interventions should consider integrating future time perspective into a theoretical framework in understanding why middle-aged adults choose to engage in health promotion.
Recommended Citation
Stahl, Sarah T., "Health promotion during midlife: The influence of internal health locus of control and future time perspective" (2009). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 4537.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/4537