'n Ondersoek na die verband tussen angs en algemene persoonlikheidsfunksionering

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Date
1988
Authors
Van Dyk, Anneke
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Anxiety continually manifests itself in the total spectrum of the psychological functioning of man. Healthy anxiety can contribute to the growth of the developmental tasks in the personality, whilst pathological anxiety can lead to destructivity in the personality. When reviewing the life cycle it is apparent that anxiety peaks during adolescence. This tendency underlines the importance of making a study of the functioning of the adolescent personality. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1. To determine whether there are differences in personality functioning between adolescents experiencing a great deal of anxiety and those experiencing little anxiety. 2. To determine whether high anxiety and low anxiety are related to similar personality attributes in the two sexes. 3. To determine the incidence of high anxiety in the adolescent population as well as establishing the differences, if any, in the manifestation of anxiety in boys and girls. Cattell's trait approach serves as frame of reference in this study. In the literature study attention is paid to his view of personality and anxiety. Cattell defines personality as that which enables a person to predict behaviour in a particular situation. This definition serves as criterium to demarcate the term "general functioning of personality". The operationalization of the term "anxiety" is supported by Cattell's second order anxiety factor. The main first order factors out of which it is composed are Q4 +, Ergic tension; O+, Guilt proneness; Q3 -, Low integration and C-, Lower ego strength. Current literature and research results on the relation between anxiety and general personality functioning are discussed under the following headings: Personal relations, Physical health, Recreation, Intellectual functioning, Scholastic functioning, Moral functioning, Family functioning and Social functioning. It was evident throughout that a high anxiety level has a negative effect on general personality. The Afrikaans speaking standard seven pupils of high schools in the OFS, who attended the Zastron Open Air School in 1986, were chosen as population. Data was collected by means of psychometric questionnaires, the HSPQ and IRQ, as well as the biographical questionnaire used by the Zastron Open Air School. Questionnaires were also sent to every school to supply the intelligence quotient, as measured by the NSAGT, and the average scholastic achievement of every pupil. Seeing that the entire population was available, descriptive statistical methods were used to analyse the data. Results indicate that there are differences in personality functioning between adolescents experiencing a great deal of anxiety and those experiencing little anxiety. It was also determined that high anxiety correlates partly with similar and partly with different personality traits in the two sexes. Personality variables showing a relation with anxiety in the case of the boys' group only are: "Achievement in sports", "Father's occupation" and "Personal freedom". Personality variables showing a difference in the boys' as well as the girls' high and low anxiety groups are: "Nervousness", "Health", "Intelligence", "Lying", "Family influences", and "Sociability: General". Personality variables showing a relation with anxiety in the girls' group only are: "Self confidence", "State of health", "Activity participation", "Scholastic achievement", "Frequency of failure", "Attitude towards learning", "Relationship with father", "Relationship with mother" and "Punitive measures in the home". From the findings there proved to be nearly six times as many girls as boys meeting the criterium for a high anxiety level. Results in this study also indicated that 3,4% of adolescents from a population of 1006 met the criterium for high anxiety. Further research, for instance doing similar studies in other provinces, with other cultural and age groups, monitoring the anxiety level before and after the conclusion of therapeutic programmes in the fields that have now been identified, and determining the causal relation of the high frequency of Afrikaans speaking Free State girls experiencing a high level of anxiety, is recommended in the light of this study.
Afrikaans: Angs manifesteer voortdurend in die totale spektrum van die psigiese funksionering van die mens. Gesonde angs kan bydra tot die ontplooiing van die ontwikkelingstake in die persoonlikheid, terwyl patologiese angs tot destruktiwiteit in die persoonlikheid kan lei. Wanneer gekyk word na die lewenssiklus, bereik die angspeil 'n hoogtepunt gedurende adolessensie. Hierdie tendens maak van angs soveel te meer 'n sentrale tema in die bestudering van die persoonlikheidsfunksionering van die adolessent. Die doel van hierdie studie was drieledig van aard: 1. Om te bepaal of daar verskille in persoonlikheidsfunksionering tussen adolessente wat baie angs ervaar en die wat min angs ervaar, aangetref word. 2. Om te bepaal of hoe angs en lae angs met soortgelyke persoonlikheidseienskappe by die twee geslagte verband hou. 3. Die voorkomssyfer van hoe angs in die adolessente-populasie vas te stel, en ook om te bepaal of daar enige verskille in die voorkomssyfer by seuns en dogters aangetref word. Die trekbenadering van Cattell dien as verwysingsraamwerk in hierdie studie. In die literatuuroorsig word aandag aan sy siening van persoonlikheid en angs geskenk. Cattell definieer persoonlikheid as dit wat mens in staat stel om gedrag in 'n gegewe situasie te voorspel. Hierdie definisie dien as kriterium om die term "algemene persoonlikheidsfunksionering" af te baken. Die operasionalisering van die term "angs" rugsteun op Cattell se tweede-orde angsfaktor. Die belangrikste eerste-orde faktore waaruit dit bestaan is Q4+, Gespannenheid; O+, Geneigdheid tot skuldgevoelens; Q3-, Gebrekkige selfsentimentontwikkeling en C-, Gebrekkige ego. Bestaande literatuur en navorsingsbevindige oor die verband tussen angs en algemene persoonlikheidsfunksionering, word onder die volgende hoofde bespreek: Persoonlike verhoudinge, Fisiese gesondheid, Vryetydsbesteding, lntellektuele funksionering, Skolastiese funksionering, Morele funksionering, Gesinsfunksionering en Sosiale funksionering. Dit het deurgaans geblyk dat 'n hoe angspeil algemene persoonlikheid negatief beïnvloed. Die Afrikaanssprekende standerd sewe-leerlinge van hoerskole in die OVS wat die Zastron Buitelugskool in 1986 bygewoon het, is as populasie gekies. Data is ingesamel deur psigometriese vraelyste, die HSPV en IW, asook 'n biografiese vraelys wat deur die Zastron Buitelugskool afgeneem is. Vraelyste is ook aan elke skool gestuur, waarop die intelligensiekwosient, soos gemeet deur die NSAG, en die gemiddelde skoolprestasie van elke leerling ingevul is. Aangesien die volledige populasie beskikbaar was, is van beskrywende statistiese metodes gebruik gemaak om die data te ontleed. Resultate dui daarop dat daar verskille in persoonlikheidsfunksionering tussen adolessente wat baie angs ervaar en die wat min angs ervaar, teenwoordig is. Daar is ook bepaal dat hoe angs deels met soortgelyke, en deels met verskillende persoonlikheidseienskappe by die twee geslagte korreleer: Persoonlikheidsveranderlikes wat slegs by die seunsgroep 'n verband met angs getoon het, is: "Sportprestasie", "Beroep van vader" en "Persoonlike vryheid". Persoonlikheidsveranderlikes waar daar by beide die seuns- en dogtersgroep 'n verskil tussen die hoe angs en lae angs populasies was, is: "Senuweeagtigheid', "Gesondheid", "Intelligensie", "Leuenvertellery", "Gesinsinvloede" en "Sosialiteit: Algemeen". Persoonlikheidsveranderlikes wat net by die dogtersgroep 'n verband met angs getoon het, is: "Selfvertroue", "Gesondheidstoestand", "Aktiwiteitsdeelname", "Skoolprestasie", "Druipfrekwensie", "Houding ten opsigte van geleerdheid", "Verhouding met vader", "Verhouding met moeder" en "Strafmaatreels in die huis". Uit die bevindinge het dit geblyk dat daar byna ses keer meer dogters as seuns is wat aan die kriterium van hoe angs voldoen het. Resultate in hierdie studie het ook daarop gedui dat 3,4% adolessente uit 'n populasie van 1006 aan die kriterium van hoe angs voldoen het. Verdere navorsing, soos om soortgelyke studies na ander provinsies, kultuur- en ouderdomsgroepe uit te brei, die angspeil te monitor voor en na afloop van terapeutiese programme in die velde wat tans geidentifiseer is, en die oorsaaklike verband van die hoe frekwensie Afrikaanssprekende Vrystaatse dogters wat hoe angs ervaar, te bepaal, word in die Jig van hierdie studie aanbeveel.
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Keywords
Dissertation (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--University of the Free State, 1988, Anxiety, Personality, Adolescent psychology
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