Page 482 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

RESOURCEFUlNESS n 449

Depressive cognitions and negative Self-Control Schedule in which respon-
emotions associated with lower personal and dents indicate the degree to which each
social resourcefulness have been found in item describes their behavior, ranging from R
elders with chronic conditions (zauszniewski extremely descriptive to extremely nonde-
et al., 2007) and family members of persons scriptive. Internal consistency estimates
with serious mental illness (zauszniewski have ranged from .78 to .85 in adults, includ-
et al., 2009). Self-esteem has also been ing elders (Rosenbaum, 1990). The SCS is
reported to be significantly associated with moderately correlated with locus of control,
personal resourcefulness and well-being in religious orientation, anxiety, and depres-
women survivors of breast cancer (Dirksen, sive symptoms, supporting its construct
2000; Dirksen & Erickson, 2002). Health self- validity (Rosenbaum, 1990). A 20-item Social
determinism was found to be a significant Resourcefulness Scale was developed by
predictor of personal and social resourceful- Rapp, Schumaker, Schmidt, Naughton, and
ness in chronically ill elders (zauszniewski Anderson (1998). Respondents indicate the
et al., 2001). Studies have also identified frequency of use of behaviors to obtain and
uncertainty as an antecedent of personal maintain help from others, ranging from
resourcefulness (Dirksen, 2000; Dirksen & never to always. Acceptable internal consis-
Erickson, 2002; Kreulen & Braden, 2004). The tency has been reported and construct valid-
specific roles played by various process reg- ity was supported by significant correlations
ulators, including cognition, affect, percep- with social support and self-control (Rapp
tion, and motivation, in affecting personal et al., 1998).
and social resourcefulness need examination Although these reliable and valid indi-
that is more systematic. vidual measures of personal and social
Positive health outcomes of personal resourcefulness exist, zauszniewski,
and social resourcefulness have been well- lai, et al. (2006) developed the 28-item
documented through empirical research. Resourcefulness Scale, which contains
These outcomes, including adaptive func- items reflecting both personal and social
tioning in school-aged children (Chang, resourcefulness. The Resourcefulness Scale
zauszniewski, Heinzer, Musil, & Tsai, 2007), has acceptable internal consistency (α = .85)
adjustment to relocation in elders (Bekhet and two correlated subscales reflecting per-
et al., 2008), maternal role competence and sonal and social resourcefulness (r = .41)
satisfaction in first-time pregnant women were confirmed through factor analysis
(Ngai et al., 2010), perceived health in dia- (zauszniewski, lai, et al., 2006).
betic women (zauszniewski et al., 2001), Fostering the development and mainte-
psychological well-being in women survi- nance of both personal and social resource-
vors of breast cancer (Dirksen, 2000; Huang fulness is well within the purview of
et al., 2010) and in elders (zauszniewski et al., nursing interventions. Clinical trials are
2001), health practices in women with type 2 currently examining various methods for
diabetes (zauszniewski & Chung, 2001), pre- teaching personal and social resourceful-
natal self-care of pregnant women with HIV ness skills to elders with chronic condi-
(Boonpongmanee, zauszniewski, & Morris, tions, grandmothers raising grandchildren,
2003), and mental health of family members caregivers of elders with dementia, and
of adults with mental illness (zauszniewski family members of persons with mental
et al., 2009) fall under the “umbrella” concept illness. Additional research with children,
called quality of life. adolescents, and ethnically diverse popula-
Personal resourcefulness, also termed tions is needed.
learned resourcefulness, has been mea-
sured using Rosenbaum’s (1990) 36-item Jaclene A. Zauszniewski