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

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