The experience of wellness in early adulthood: a multicultural perspective
Abstract
Afrikaans: Young adults experience a considerable amount of strain from the tasks that present
themselves during this stage of development. At the same time, contemporary studies
fail to incorporate the effect of this strain on the young adult's sense of psychological
wellness. While the nature of psychological wellness remains controversial to define,
certain core dimensions exist. Ryff (1989) articulated six dimensions under the
umbrella of the structure of wellness, namely self-acceptance, positive relations with
others, self-determination, environmental mastery, purpose in life and personal
growth. Studies on young adults' interaction with the developmental tasks that present
themselves during this stage of development and the ultimate influence on these
adults' wellness in the South African context have, as yet, received little attention.
The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the roles of intimacy, a
sense of belonging and occupation influence the experience of wellness in early
adulthood. Differences between race and gender were also investigated. A sample of
150 working adults from different ethnic groups was included in this study (non experimental
prospective design). Further criteria included that the adults had to be
between the ages of 22 and 33 with a minimum educational level of grade 11. The
Multidimensional Wellness Scale (Ryff & Keyes, 1995) was used to measure
wellness as the criterion variable while the Hope Scale (Snyder et al, 1991), Fortitude
Scale (Pretorius, 1997), Work and Life Experience Questionnaire (Van Zyl & Van der
Walt, 1991) and Self-efficacy Scale (Sherer et al., 1982) were used to measure the
predictor variables. A self compiled biographical questionnaire was used to obtain
biographical information. From the hierarchical regression analysis, statistically and
practically significant results were obtained for the entire group. The predictor
variables explained between 72.52% and 79.57% of the variance in the levels of
wellness for the total group. Furthermore, the predictor variables explain 79.57% of
the variance in the levels of wellness of young black adults, 72.52% of young white
adults, 77.28% of young female adults and 72.66% of young male adults. A sense of
hope was found to be a consistently significant contributing factor in the experience
of wellness for all groups. While hope was found to be the strongest predictor of the
level of wellness of the participants, stressors outside the work situation, stressors
within the work situation as well as general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy also
made significant contributions. Furthermore, significant differences in the experience
of psychological wellness were found between both races as well as between the two
genders. Afrikaans: Jong volwassenes ervaar 'n redelike mate van stres as gevolg van take tydens hierdie
ontwikkelingsfase. Terselfdertyd blyk dit asof huidige studies nie die effek van
hierdie stres op die jong volwassene se gevoel van psigologiese welstand inkorporeer
nie. Terwyl die aard van psigologiese welstand steeds moeilik definieerbaar is,
bestaan daar sekere sleuteldimensies. Ryff (1989) artikuleer ses dimensies onder die
sambreel van die struktuur van welstand, naamlik selfaanvaarding, positiewe
verhoudings met ander, self-determinasie, omgewingsbemeestering, doel in die lewe
en persoonlike groei. Tot dusver het studies oor jong volwassenes en hul interaksie
met die ontwikkelingstake wat na vore kom en die invloed daarvan op die
psigologiese welstand van hierdie volwassenes, min aandag geniet binne die Suid
Afrikaanse konteks. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die mate waartoe die rolle
van intimiteit, die ervaring van algemene sosiale ondersteuning en beroepsverwante
ervaringe, welstand in vroeë volwassenheid beïnvloed te ondersoek. Verskille tussen
rassegroepe en geslag is ook ondersoek. 'n Steekproef van 150 werkende volwassenes
van verskillende etniese groepe is in hierdie studie ingesluit (nie-eksperimentele
prospektiewe ontwerp). Verdere insluitingskriteria sluit in dat die deelnemers tussen
die ouderdomme van 22 en 33 met 'n minimum onderrigskwalifikasie van graad 11
moes wees. Die Multidimensionele Welstandskaal (Ryff & Keyes, 1995) was gebruik
om die kriteriumveranderlike (psigologiese welstand) te meet, terwyl die Hoopskaal
(Snyder et al, 1991), Fortaliteitskaal (Pretorius, 1997), Werks- en Lewenservaringe
Vraelys (Van Zyl & Van der Walt, 1991) en Selfbekwaamheidsvraelys (Sherer et al.,
1982) gebruik is om die voorspellerveranderlikes te meet. 'n Self-opgestelde
biografiese vraelys is gebruik om biografiese inligting te kry. Uit die hierargiese
regressie analise, is statisties sowel as praktiese beduidende resultate vir die totale
groep gekry. Die voorspellerveranderlikes verklaar tussen 72.52% en 79.57% van die
variansie in die vlakke van welstand vir die totale groep. Verder het die
voorspellerveranderlikes 79.57% van die variansie in die vlakke van welstand van
jong swart volwassenes, 72.52% van jong wit volwassenes, 77.28% van jong vroue
volwassenes en 72.66% van jong manlike volwassenes verklaar. 'n Gevoel van hoop
het konsekwent 'n beduidende bydrae gemaak tot die ervaring van welstand by al die
groepe. Alhoewel 'n gevoel van hoop die sterkste voorspeller van die vlak van
welstand van al die groepe was, het stressore buite werksverband, stressore binne
werksverband en selfbekwaamheid ook 'n beduidende bydrae gelewer. Verder, is
statistiese beduidende verskille tussen beide rasse sowel as tussen die twee geslagte
gevind.