Adults' Variability in Self Acceptance and Personal Autonomy as A Function Of Chronological Age, Sex and Educational Attainment
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study was primarily designed with the purpose of investigating the
influence of chronological age, sex and educational attainment on adults' selfacceptance
and personal autonomy achievements. What is the relationship
between self acceptance, personal autonomy, is there a significant difference in
adults self acceptance and personal autonomy as a result of their variation by
sex and educational level were the major research questions that were
formulated to be investigated in the study. In the study population to incorporate
the sufficient number of male female well and less educated adults and to realize
the satisfactory representation of these important variables to the study,
disproportionate stratified random sampling technique was employed. The data
was collected from 250 Hawassa university main campus academic and
administrative adult staff, who attained a high school or more level education
and whose age ranges between 22 and 63. A structured questionnaire consisting
of 22 items that are adjusted to assess ones' self perception in comparison with
others, the extent of ones' positive and negative feeling about likeable and
unlikable aspects of one's personality, positive and negative attitudes about the
past and present life experiences including one's accomplishment in life, in
general one's ability to acknowledge both aspects of one's true self, were used
to measure self acceptance. In the autonomy scale questionnaire 16 statements
structured with a 5 point interval level scale ' were used to assess whether most
behaviors of participants regardless of cultural and social influences were
governed by their own genuine an.d thought full in.terest or regulated by external
social pressures. In the process of investigating the influence of the above socio
demographic variables on adults self acceptance and personal autonomy the
mean score difference between male and female group and among the three
educational level group was compared and the association between the age of
respondents and their score were observed. Finally, the result indicated the
existence of positive association between age and self acceptance. Unlike
previously conducted researches' this study indicated a negative relationship
between chronological age and personal autonomy. The finding also indicated
that the extent of adults self acceptance and personal autonomy increases as
they move up the educational hierarchy. In terms of gender difference the study
found that there is a comparable ability between male and female adults in both
self acceptance and personal autonomy dimensions. Generally, the finding
highlights how some socio demographic variables affect adults self acceptance
and personal autonomy. It is also insight the need for future research in
particular about different dimensions of psychological and subjective well being
to contribute for adults psychological health and life satisfaction enhancement.
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Keywords
Function of Chronological Age, Sex and Educational Attainment